Kiara Pride-Lander: Book 7 Part 3 - Hope
by Kimberly Joan Amethyst
Summary: This is the third and final part of the final book in the KPL series. DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING, apart from my own characters. Please read and enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, here it is at long last, the third and final part of the seventh book, and the final ever part of this story. I hope you have all enjoyed the journey so far, and I hope you will stick with me until the last. So without further ado, enjoy this first chapter.**

 **Kiara Pride-Lander**

 **and the Deathly Hand of Holiness**

 **By K.J. Amethyst**

 **Book 3: Hope**

 ** **Hope**** _by Unknown_

There is always pain and grief,

That comes upon you as a thief.

When least expected there will be

Something to hinder or worry me,

Down life's highway it is hard to tread

Sometimes you cling on with only a thread

Of hope that one day you will find

That life is pleasant, not unkind

Cling on to hope for nothing have we,

But hope things better will be.

0000

 **One World Soon** _by Rhumour_

One hope I have for my children

No hunger or fear in their lives

Every parent wants this, so that is no surprise.

When will the world meet in honesty

Openly plan an end to all poverty

Remove the crowns from the commerce kings

Let morality stand proud within all our tradings

Don't let it take too long my friends.

Seek friendship and sincerity through deeds

Open dialogue so we can know each others needs

Only when we understand each other well can

New beginnings be made that will go to plan.

0000

 ** **Chapter 1****

 **Sian's Afternoon**

 **SIAN**

Sian awoke late that afternoon after having one of the most relaxing and peaceful sleeps she had experienced in a long time. Stretching, Sian sat up and looked around, smiling at the still sleeping forms of Beth, Kestrel and Merida, who well deserved it. Then the empty beds of Chrissie and Kiara caught her eye, but Sian wasn't worried, for knowing Chrissie she was probably stuffing her face in the Great Hall, and Kiara was probably talking with Chris somewhere.

Looking at her three sleeping sisters again, Sian felt an unfamiliar feeling of contentment settle over her, coupled by a niggling of guilt that had nothing to do with her siblings at all. Sian didn't want to think about these thoughts for as long as she could, so she decided to get up and dressed in a pair of jeans, a purple T-shirt and some trainers: she didn't fancy wearing robes that day, wanting to feel ordinary for a change.

A few people were down in the common room, and once they had seen Sian they waved, nodded and smiled at her, or else they just saluted her. Sian grimaced at the sight; not from the attention, that she was expecting, but from the respect she was receiving from people. She know she was respected, and now more so than ever now that she wasn't just known as being one of Kiara Pride-Lander's best friends, and for Sian that was more than enough.

As she walked along the corridors, Sian couldn't help the pain that filled up inside her as she took in the destruction that had happened to Dragon Mort: the ceilings that had fallen in, walls that had been blasted apart, the bloodstains all over the floors and walls, and the portraits that had been destroyed in the onslaught; Sian saw that many of the occupants, whether the original ones or those who had ran into neighbouring frames, were comforting each other and talking in hushed voices. Sian leaned against a wall, feeling a breeze that was coming through a hole in the wall a few feet onwards, closing her eyes and sighing deeply.

Wondering how the castle was going to be repaired, seeing as most of the castle was built by the magic used by the four founders. But Sian knew that it was pointless worrying about that now, so she took another deep breath, opened her eyes and moved on.

Along one corridor, a right, along another corridor and down a flight of stairs she walked. Then the sounds of someone crying stopped Sian in her tracks. Turning to the sound, Sian saw that it was Geri who was huddled over an empty plinth, her body convulsing with sobs. Knowing that it would be heartless to ignore her cousin, Sian went over to her, her heart breaking for Geri with every step she took, not knowing what to say but hoping to provide some comfort for her nonetheless.

As Sian approached her, Geri looked up and dried her eyes quickly, and she looked surprised at seeing Sian there, who just smiled gently at her. Geri just looked away, and Sian smiled in understanding, remembering how she wanted to be alone after her mother had died. Not wanting to leave her cousin alone like this, Sian moved to sit on the plinth next to her, and for a while the two cousins sat there in silence.

After several long minutes, Geri spoke at last, "I finally get how you felt when Aunt Sue died, Sian. I get how you felt so lost and alone, and how you never thought you would ever be happy again after losing someone who meant so much to you …"

And Geri burst into tears again. Sian reached over and hugged her, waiting for Geri to calm down, her own tears falling on to Geri's head, and not once did Sian move, silently showing her cousin that she was there for her.

Once they had both calmed down and dried their eyes, Sian lifted Geri's head off her shoulder, looked in her eyes and said, "Geri, I know this is hard now, and the pain will never go away entirely, but I promise you it will get better."

"How can you be so sure?" Geri asked hopelessly.

"Well … just look at me," Sian said slowly, "look at how I've turned out after I accepted my mother's death, and that took me long enough. I know what you're going through, Geri, wondering if you'll ever be happy again, as well as thinking how will I be able to laugh or smile again now that she's gone, but I promise you that you will. In time, you will smile and laugh and find some happiness again."

"How?"

"By being surrounded by your strong, supportive, slightly broken family for a start," Sian answered simply. "We're all here for you, Geri, and we always will be. But promise me something: never do what I did and shut yourself away from your family. You may think you're strong by doing so, but trust me when I say it's the complete opposite, and that you are much stronger with your family around you to help you heal, you really are. Will you promise me that, Geri?"

Geri paused for a moment, then said, "If you think it'll help me?"

"It will," said Sian, smiling slightly. Geri smiled too after a moment, and the two cousins felt a slight shift in the air in their relationship, feeling it grow into something stronger.

Sian then felt nervous as silence fell between her and Geri again, for she didn't want to approach this subject, yet she knew that it was unavoidable. So, taking a deep breath, she said, Geri, I know this may not be the best time for me to mention this, and forgive me if I sound too forward about it, but I think we need to start thinking about Tanya's funeral."

Sian cast an anxious glance at Geri, and saw that she had paled at the thought. Sian felt horrible at mentioning it so soon and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have - "

"No, it's OK," Geri said quietly. "It's just … I never imagined that I would be giving a funeral for my twin."

"I don't think any of us did, if I'm honest. I'm not saying that in a bad way," Sian added quickly at Geri's wounded look, "I'm just saying that you and Tanya have been inseparable since birth, so we all assumed that you two would die together."

"Yeah, I can see why you would think that," said Geri dryly after a moment. Sian smiled at her cousin's dry wit, knowing that even if she couldn't see it yet, Geri was going to be fine.

"Look," said Sian gently, "it's sad that Tanya died too soon, but she died fighting for a worthy cause, so there's that to think about. And besides, Tanya wouldn't want her funeral to be a sad occasion; she'd want it to be full of fun and laughter, frolics and jokes, which she would be doing with you right now if she were here. And I'm sure that she wouldn't want you to be miserable and alone for the rest of your life just because she's dead, would she?"

Geri shook her head. "No, she'd want me to be happy and not wallow in sadness and self-pity, and if she were here now she'd probably tell me to stop being such a sourpuss and go eat a lemon if I'm that upset about it."

Sian looked strangely at Geri. "Go eat a lemon?" she said, giggling at the thought.

"Yeah, that one kind of got away from me," said Geri, smiling too.

"You think?" And that was all it took for the two of them to start laughing.

"See?" said Sian, once she and Geri had stopped laughing. "This is exactly what Tanya would have wanted. She'd want us to celebrate her life, being happy and telling jokes - even rubbish ones. Which is why I think it best if you plan her funeral."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I mean, sure, it might be the most unconventional funeral anyone has ever seen, but it should be that way, for I know that's exactly how Tanya would have wanted it, and I know that Perdy, Sam, Kat and the others wouldn't mind if you organised it, seeing as you were the closest to her out of all of us. So think of some ideas, talk to Leah, Andrew and your sisters about it, and then once you have everything sorted out, we'll do it. How does that sound?"

Geri smiled and nodded at Sian. "Thanks, S.D."

"Anytime," said Sian. She and Geri then hugged again, and when they pulled away Sian asked, "Are you going to be OK?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Geri answered. "You go. I'll speak to you later."

"'K." Sian nodded and smiled at Geri, then got up and turned back the way she came, passing Perdy who was carrying two cups of tea. Sian and Perdy shared a nod, and before Sian rounded the corner she looked back and saw that Perdy had taken her spot at Geri's side, handing her one of the cups. Sian smiled at this closeness, and also how good it felt to have Perdy back on the right side, for she had missed her a lot over the past few years. Smiling at the sight before her, Sian moved on.

As she passed many classrooms, Sian couldn't help but look in. Some, she saw, were fine, but many others needed some serious help, like the Charms classroom: Sian could see Professor Winds standing in the doorway of said classroom, looking around as though she was wondering where to start. Sian gave a sad smile and moved on, for she knew that it would not looked caved-in forever, and that she wouldn't be surprised if people were volunteering to help stay behind and be involved in the clean up. Sian then gasped aloud and stopped in her tracks as a thought struck her: what had happened to the library? Sian hoped that it was still standing and that none of the books had been destroyed in the battle …

As she approached the Entrance Hall, the raucous sounds of talk and the occasional shout of laughter reached Sian's ears. Looking inside the Great Hall, she could see many people grouped together still on the four house tables. She didn't go in, but merely smiled as she went outside, for she didn't want any more stares and salutes for the time being.

Outside, the grounds were covered in dead bodies and rubble, but Sian ignored this as she walked to the river, closing her eyes and tilting her head upwards, basking in the sun's warmth. Opening her eyes, Sian was pleasantly surprised by what she saw on the opposite bank: sitting side by side, their shoes and socks beside them, their feet under the cool river water were Ben and Chrissie. They were holding hands and talking. Sian didn't want to interrupt them, and not just because she knew how annoyed Chrissie would be with her if she did. So Sian smiled and looked around her.

Standing a little away from her were Chris and Kiara together, their arms around each other, talking quietly as they looked out over the river. Sian smiled gently at them, thrilled that they could finally be together without any obstacles standing in their way. She knew that they would have years in which to talk and figure out where their lives were going. They had all the time in the world to do that now …

Sian was then brought out of her thoughts by a pair of strong arms that had wrapped themselves around her from behind. Knowing who it was, she leaned back against Kopa, closing her eyes and smiling contentedly as he kissed her temple.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

Sian opened her eyes and turned to face him, gazing into his bright amber eyes as she answered, "Just how happy my family is right now."

She then studied his face properly, touching his cheek tentatively as she took in everything about him: from the strong jaw to the fuzzy eyebrows, the light amber eyes to the crooked smile that Sian was sure was going to leave her weak in the knees for the rest of her life. Kopa, seeing Sian studying him the way she did, looked confused as he asked, "What is it? Why do you look at me that way?"

Sian just shook her head and said, "Just getting used to this, that's all. I mean, I've only seen your face once before yesterday, remember? To see you like this every day from now on is something I'm going to have to get used to, that's all."

Kopa looked slyly at Sian as he teased her, "In a good way, I hope?"

Deciding to play along, Sian said, "Most definitely."

Kopa gave an overly dramatic sigh of relief, which Sian giggled at.

They were then both silent for a while, watching the giant squid basking its tentacles lazily in the water. Then Sian decided to break the silence by asking Kopa a tough question, but one which she knew she had to ask.

"How are you holding up, anyway, after what happened to your parents and Sarabi?"

Kopa sighed, his eyes downcast, as he answered, "I'm OK. Sad, of course, how could I not be? But I didn't know them as well as I could, unlike my sister." He turned in Kiara's direction, and Sian could see him deep in thought. Wanting to reassure him a little, Sian said gently, "Well, you and Kiara have time to get to know each other now, along with Kion, remember?"

Kopa cast Sian a small smile, before his expression became serious again and he said, "I wish I could have told them who I was, just once. That way they would have known I was still alive. And now they never will."

"But the ones we love are always watching over us, Kopa," Sian reassured him. "Somehow, they will know, and they will forgive you for not telling them, as will Kiara if she hasn't already?"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because they will understand why you did what you did and will look past your shortcomings and forgive you for them, because that's what you do when you love someone."

Kopa turned to Sian then, his eyes widened in amazement. "How can you be so wise?"

Sian shrugged. "I dunno. I think my mother may have influenced me slightly."

She and Kopa laughed, and Sian loved how easy it felt in his presence. Once their laughter had died down, Kopa asked her, "So, what happens now?"

"Well, some are going to stay behind to help clean up the school - I amongst them, no arguments," Sian added quickly, fixing Kopa a stern look, which he put his hands up to. "Then i suppose the school will reopen in a few months, which I will be attending."

"Wait, where do I come into this?"

Sian quickly turned to Kopa, who was looking hurt. Understanding how that must have sounded, she said quickly, "Oh, Kopa, please don't take it the wrong way. I love you, I want to be with you, I do … it's just that for so long I have been following Kiara along, helping her thwart Zira and her followers now, and I don't regret a minute of it. It's just that now Zira's defeated at last, we can all focus on leading our own lives at last, and this is something I need to do for me. You know how academic I am. So I promise you, Kopa, that once I have finished my last year of school that I will devote the rest of my life to you. So what do you say? Will you allow me to do this?"

Kopa studied her for a few moments, then smiled gently at her. "Of course I will. I'd be a jerk if I didn't support you in your choices. Besides, we have the rest of our lives to be together, after all."

Sian beamed up at him. "Thank you for being understanding."

Kopa just kissed her on the temple again.

Sian then turned away from Kopa, her expression darkening as she pondered a thought that had been worrying her ever since the moment she had killed Katalina Outsider. Although she knew it was a war and that one of them had to die, it still didn't make Sian feel any better for killing her - even though she did have it coming to her for all the terrible things she did, Sian quickly reasoned with herself.

Seeing the sudden change in Sian's countenance, Kopa looked at her concernedly as he asked her, "What is it, Sian? What's wrong?"

Turning back to face him, Sian asked Kopa a question that had been troubling her for the past few hours: "Am I a bad person?"

Kopa looked at Sian in shock. "What? No! Why on earth would you ask such a thing?"

"Because of what I did to Katalina Outsider!" Sian cried out. "I killed her, Kopa! I did the one thing I swore to myself that I would never, ever do: kill a living being … and in the early hours of this morning I committed such a crime, that I don't think I can ever forgive myself for! How you can even look at me with love after what I did astounds me - "

"Sian, darling, it was a war," Kopa said gently, cupping her face delicately with his hands. "One of you had to die. It had to be done."

"I know that, but I still don't feel any better about what I did."

"I know you don't, but let me ask you this: if you were a bad person, do you think you would have any remorse for what you did?"

Sian did not have to think about her answer.

"No, I wouldn't."

"And that's what makes you different to Katalina, Sian, because she wouldn't feel guilty about killing you or anyone else who dared to fight her, whereas you, despite knowing what she did to you and countless others, feel remorse, because that's the type of person you are. Besides, you had to do what you could to protect your family. You may have done a bad thing, Sian, but you did it for a good purpose, and in my eyes I don't see you as a bad person, I see you as an incredibly brave one. So don't you dare think any less of yourself because of what you did, because I certainly don't."

Sian smiled at him, her mind reassured by what he had told her. Having no words to thank him for what he had just said, she just buried her face in his chest, taking comfort in feeling his chest rise and fall as she listened to his heart beating steadily. Kopa chuckled gently as his arms wrapped around her, tightening her to him, not wanting to let her go any time soon.

They stood like that in a comfortable silence again, until Kopa pulled away from her slightly a few minutes later and asked, "So why didn't you tell me you're the Girl Who Saves the World?"

Sian sighed and looked up at him. "I don't know. I was going to tell you, believe me, I just didn't know how to. After all, it's not exactly something you can be casual about when telling someone."

"No, I suppose not," said Kopa, shaking his head. "I just wish you had told me first, that's all."

"I know, and I promise that from this moment on I will always be honest with you and will never keep anything from you ever again. Are you OK with that?"

"Yes, I'm OK with that," Kopa smiled. "And I'm not mad with you for keeping your other life a secret, either. After all, I kept my identity a secret for years, and I know how difficult it is to keep it to yourself for so long. So if you want to talk to someone about it, know that I am here, OK?"

Sian smiled at him and nodded, amazed at how well he understood her. "How did I become so lucky to have you in my life?"

Kopa chuckled. "Every day I ask myself the exact same thing."

Sian could not think of a response to that question, so she decided to give him one without words. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, wanting to give him a sweet kiss, but before their lips could touch they were interrupted by an overly-loud cough.

Sian inwardly groaned, knowing exactly who it would be, and sure enough it was her father coming towards them, looking none-too-happy at how close Sian and Kopa were standing.

Really, Sian thought annoyingly as she and Kopa quickly broke apart, her father could show up at the worst possible moments. But Sian did not know what was worse at that moment: her father's expressionless face, or Kopa's incessant babble, as with every step her father took the colour rose in Sian's cheeks.

"Mr Dawson! Hi! We were - uh - we were just - uh - we were just talking, sir, and - um - we weren't - we weren't kissing! No! No we - we were definitely not doing that, sir! It - it was completely innocent - absolutely innocent - and I was definitely not about to do unspeakable things to your daughter, sir! No I was not - "

Sian glared at her father with every step he took, and still his face was blank and his mouth was shut. Sian didn't know why he was interrupting her and Kopa, but she hope it was important, otherwise she was going to get really mad at him.

When he was a few feet from them, Mr Dawson stopped. The three of them looked at each other: Sian glaring at her father, Kopa looking at him nervously and Mr Dawson looking from one to the other, as though trying to figure them out.

Then Mr Dawson did something which took Sian completely by surprise: he stuck out his hand for Kopa to shake. Kopa stared at the hand for a moment, then, with an encouraging nod from Mr Dawson, he took it, and the two men shook hands.

Sian watched what was happening in amazement, for she couldn't believe what she was seeing, yet she was happy this had happened, for surely she meant what she hoped it meant?

Her father and Kopa quickly dropped hands, and Sian began to ask, "Dad, why did you - ?"

But her father quickly cut across her, smiling as he said, "You could do a lot worse, Sian. Believe me." He then cast her a wink and walked away, leaving Sian and Kopa standing there, gazing at his retreating back, speechless, for his words could only mean one thing: he had finally accepted them as a couple.

Sian and Kopa then looked at each other, their surprise slowly turning into joy. Nothing was said between them, but next moment Sian had jumped into his arms, her arms around his neck, squealing her happiness as Kopa lifted her off the ground, spinning her around, his laughter joining hers as they understood what this meant for them.

Once Sian's feet had touched the ground again, Sian and Kopa drew back slightly, keeping their arms around each other. Neither of them wanted to waste a minute, so they kissed, pouring all the love and happiness they felt into it as lights exploded behind their eyes and tingles of electricity ran up and down their bodies, neither caring who was watching them. The only thing that mattered to Sian and Kopa in that moment was each other as they expressed their love for one another over and over again, with the sun beaming down on them from above.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **After a Rest**

 **KIARA**

I awoke to the late afternoon sun blinding me and the feeling of something warm holding me. Opening my eyes, I turned away from the sunlight to see Chris' peaceful, sleeping face inches from my own, his chest rising and falling steadily, his hand twitching as he slept.

I then remembered how I had got there: after leaving the head's office, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I traipsed back to Lion-Heart Tower, where we retired to our dormitories. Once there, I called on Kleaner and asked her to bring us a sandwich each, which she did. We then thanked her, and once she had gone and we had eaten, Sian, Chrissie and I fell back on to our pillows.

Sian and Chrissie fell asleep rather quickly, but as much as I tried to drift off, tired as I was, I could not get to sleep. So after a while I decided to get up and go see Chris and ask if I could sleep with him.

He was awake when I found him, staring at the ceiling in his T-shirt and jeans. He looked up when he heard the door opening, and was surprised to see me standing there.

"Kiara, are you OK?" Chris asked, his voice full of concern, and my heart immediately went out to him.

I shrugged and said, "I just can't sleep, that's all."

"I'm having the same problem," Chris said, and the two of us shared a laugh, which surprised me as I did not think I would be laughing quite so soon.

When we stopped laughing, I bit my lip, unsure of how to ask the question. I was also worried about what he would do when I asked, how he would react. Would he laugh at me? Kick me out of the room? Or would he turn away and say nothing? Before I could ponder on these thoughts any further, Chris cut across them.

"What is it, Kiara? What's wrong?"

I looked up at him, not realising how scared I had made him by not saying anything. So I took a deep breath and asked him, "Would it be all right if I slept with you? It's just that I've been trying for ages and I couldn't drop off. So, can I, Chris?"

Chris smiled sweetly at me. "Sure, climb in," he said, scooting over.

I sighed, relieved, and quickly joined him, removing my boots, with the rest of my clothes staying on my body. Before I joined him in bed, I removed my recently-repaired phoenix wand and the Stick of Fear from my jacket and placed them both on his bedside table. I then lay down next to Chris, who put his arm around me as I lay my head on his chest and draped my arm over him.

"You comfy?"

"Very," I nodded.

"Good."

And that's all that was said between us, and within minutes I was asleep.

And now, I realised that I had slept quite peacefully; no nightmares of my parents dying or of the battle disturbed me, which surprised me, yet pleasantly so. Not wanting to think of such things for the time being, I studied Chris' face again, and I smiled as I watched him sleep, hoping I would see him like this every morning in a few years. I shook my head out of these thoughts quickly, as there would be time to think about such things later. I wanted to touch his face, yet I didn't want to disturb him. So I put my boots back on and, before heading downstairs, I picked up the two wands on Chris' bedside table, and looking at the Stick of Fear, I remembered where it had to be put back, and I wondered whether Sian would help me with it, but I didn't want to think of such things just yet. So I left Chris be and headed down to the common room, which was mercifully empty.

As I walked over to the portrait hole, I caught sight of a copy of the _Squabbler_. I would have walked past it, but the headline caught my eye at once:

 _PRIDE-LANDER VICTORIOUS:_

 _SHE-YOU-KNOW DESTROYED AT LAST!_

I smiled at the headline, for this surely meant that Kara was already making a start on putting things right at the Ministry, so I didn't read more than that, though I did see something about Sian being revealed as the Girl Who Saves the World to the entire wizarding world, but I did not sit down to read it as I felt the outdoors were calling me. So I walked on, pulled open the portrait hole and made my way through the school.

As I made my way through the castle, the magnitude of the destruction of the battle of Dragon Mort hit me with brutal force as I saw broken pieces of castle wall and fallen-in ceiling, and in some parts body parts were sticking out of the rubble where people had gotten themselves trapped, couple with spatters of blood all over the floors, walls and ceilings; I also had to be careful of where I stepped, as there were pieces of broken rubble and large splinters from the wood that held the roof up, and once or twice I did actually trip up over a broken brick or two. I felt tears sting my eyes as I walked on, at seeing the place that had been my home for so long partially destroyed.

A little further on I became aware of voices, and I saw seated together halfway down a deserted corridor Sian and Geri huddled together, their arms around each other, talking quietly. I smiled at seeing them together, for I think that was the first time they had ever sat that close together, but then again they were very different, and Geri was alweays hanging around Tanya ... or, she used to, anyway. My smile faded, remembering that Tanya was one of the many casualties of the battle, and I moved on, not wanting to think about such things just now.

I met no one until I reached the Entrance Hall, where Elyon was helping her men carrying those who had died in battle through a portal back to Meridian. When she caught my eye, she smiled and nodded at me and I her; and that's when I caught the voices echoing from the Great Hall. I stopped and faced it.

Somewhere in there, I knew, was Kopa. For a second I thought about going in there, but then I thought against it. I wanted to talk to Kopa somewhere private, and that was certainly not in a place where I was going to get bombarded by people. And on that thought, I moved out of the Entrance Hall and out into the grounds.

I ignored the devastation I saw out there, and was relieved at finding very few people out there, who were enjoying the warm weather. As I walked down to the river, I felt tears spill down my cheeks from all I had lost, finally letting my grief take over me. But as I looked across the river to the opposie bank, i stopped in my tracks, seeing something that really surprised me.

There, sitting on the edge of the riverbank, their bare feet in the water, holding hands and casting shy smiles at each other, were Ben and Chrissie. I was surprised at seeing them so close together, for even though I knew Ben had strong feelings for Chrissie, I didn't realise that Chrissie felt the same. But then again, I had never really seen Chrissie and Ben get close before, so who knew ... maybe this could be a start for them ...

I moved on.

I walked a little further onwards before stopping in the shade of a beech tree, letting all of my grief out once again, not caring who saw me or wanting to stop my tears from falling any time soon. I was so focused on crying out off of my pent-up grief that I didn't hear Chris come running up behind me: I only knew it was him when I felt his arms encircle my waist. I looked up at him, and saw him looking at me with nothing but love and understanding shining in his eyes. I turned fully in his arms then, fully embracing him, burying my head in his chest and ruining his T-shirt with my tears, but he didn't seem to care. He just stood there holding me, letting me cry out my anger and sadness as he rubbed soothing circles on my back.

When I had cried all I could, I pulled my head back and quickly wiped my tears away.

"I'm sorry," I croaked, not looking at him, but Chris was having none of it; he put his thumb and his index finger under my chin and forced me to look at him, his expression firm but gentle.

"Hey, don't you ever apologise for grieving, for you have as much right to do so as the rest of us. After all, grieving is natural, human, so don't be sorry for crying in front of me. _Ever._ Do you understand me?"

I smiled at Chris, grateful that he understood, and nodded. We were both silent for a moment, then Chris sighed heavily and said, "If Zira were here right now instead of you, I know that I would have something to grieve about … then again, I might not have been here at all."

I looked at Chris, shocked, not only by the sadness in his eyes, but also by the bitterness in his tone. I had never heard him speak in such a way before; not even when he spoke of Khan was he that bitter.

"Chris, why would you - ?"

Chris turned his gaze sharply at me then, and answered, "Because I thought you were dead, Kiara! For a moment, I actually thought you had died, but something felt - I dunno - off, if you get what I mean. I don't know how to explain it, but somehow I knew you weren't dead, and I think that has to do with how our souls are intertwined, because if you had died I would have felt it, and I know, somehow, that the pain would have been too much for me to bear, and I would have been one of the first to take a curse from Zira if that had been the case, because my life has absolutely no meaning without you in it."

"Chris, how can you say that?" I said, shocked how he could say such a thing. "Think of your family and how they would feel - "

"I know," he said quickly, "I know, I'm being selfish. But didn't you see, Kiara? If you had died, then one way or another, so would I. That's how much I love you, Kiara." He gripped my shoulders as he spoke. "You mean everything to me, and so much more."

I didn't know how to respond to this, so I did the only thing I could think of: I reached up, pulled him down to me and kissed him firmly. Chris responded instantly, pulling me closer to him and wrapping his arms securely around me. As we kissed, I poured everything I felt into it: my love for him, the hope for our future, and also reassuring him that we were finally together, and that no evil was going to force us apart again from that day on.

Unfortunately, the need for oxygen soon became too great to ignore, making us draw back a little, still remaining with our arms around each other as our foreheads touched. Once our breathing had calmed down a bit, I asked him, "Does that put your fears and your mind at ease, Chris?"

"Well if that's your way of reassuring me, Kiara, then you can do that to me any time you like."

We chuckled, then were silent. I then started wondering how he had found me so quickly, so I asked him, "Hey, did you follow me out here or something? I only ask because when I left you, you were asleep, so …"

Chris rubbed his neck and said, "Yes, I followed you. I felt you get out of bed, and I was worried about you. Besides, it scared me when you left without me, now that I know how close you were to death." Chris frowned. "Why didn't you wake me, anyway? I would have gone down with you."

I felt the colour rising in my cheeks as I answered, "Well you looked so peaceful when you were sleeping that I didn't want to disturb you. I'm sorry I made you worry."

Chris smiled sweetly at me. "It's OK," he said. "But you needn't have worried about disturbing me, for I'll always have time for you. And might I add, you are adorable when you blush. I should make you do it more often."

"Why, so you can enjoy seeing my face turn the colour of a strawberry?" I joked.

Chris chuckled, cupped my cheek and said, "Kiara, you're being too hard on yourself, for when you blush your cheeks look like the colour of pink roses, not strawberries."

I glared at him mockingly and said, "And I suppose you'll do everything in your power to make me blush at any given opportunity from now on, won't you?"

"Oh you bet I will," Chris replied, grinning wickedly at me.

I slapped his arm playfully and we shared a laugh, before a comfortable silence fell over us once more.

We looked out over the river, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily, and Ben and Chrissie splashing each other playfully, as a gentle breeze skimmed all around us.

After a while, Chris looked at me and said, "So I know that this is such a stupid question to ask given everything that's happened here, but … how are you?"

I sighed heavily and said, "I don't know. Sad, angry, relieved … I've lost so much, y'know … but not once did I ever imagine that I would be losing both my parents and Grandmother Sarabi in one night. You know … for one moment I actually thought that maybe … just maybe … we might have a chance. That everything would be all right ... that we would be a family again. But that's noy how life works, is it? There always has to be suffering. And I get that my parents died … I had been worrying about them anyway, to be honest with you, for I knew that Zira wanted them just as much as she wanted me … but Grandmother Sarabi? The woman who raised me? The woman who introduced me to the wizarding world? How is it fair that I lose her too, Chris? How is that fair?"

Chris made a 'come here' gesture with his head, and I buried his head in his chest again, our arms wrapped around each other. "I know," he hummed into my hair. "I know."

We remained like that for a while, as I let all my sadness, anger and pain out over losing my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, Chris rubbing soothing circles on my back again and kissing my temple.

Once I had calmed down a little, Chris seemed to realise that I had, once again, cried all I could, so he pulled back slightly and said, his expression gentle, his eyes fixed on mine, How are you now?"

I gave him a small, sad smile, a shrug and said, "A little better, though at this point I'm not sure I'll ever be fully OK again. Thanks for being so patient with me, Chris."

"For you, always." Chris then smiled at me, running his fingers through my hair, sending jolts of electricity coursing through me from where he touched me. "You know, I've really missed us together like this."

I opened my eyes, held the back of his hand and said, "I've missed this, too."

Chris raised his eyes hopefully, then quickly got control of himself and said, "Really? Well, you know when I said that I would wait until Zira was gone until we could be together? Well, I was wondering that now she's gone, that maybe you and I could …? I understand if you don't, that it's too soon after what happened last night … but just know that I'm still going to wait for you until you want us to - "

I shut him up by kissing him soundly on the lips, and once I think he got the message I pulled back slightly and said, "Does that answer your question?"

I had to laugh at Chris' shocked expression as he answered immediately, "Absolutely!" But then he became serious again as he held my hands and asked, "Are you sure this is what you want? Really sure?"

I smiled sweetly at him and nodded. "Yes, Chris, I'm sure. I know people will talk, saying we're rushing into things because of what happened here. Well, let them! I don't care what they think. The only person's opinion I care about is yours, for only with you could I ever be happy. Besides, I need you by my side to help me get through this, because i don't think I'm strong enough to get through this on my own. You are my biggest source of comfort to me in this time, Chris, and I have wanted to be with you ever since I realised that my feelings for you were much stronger thant I ever thought they would be. So let's be together, you and me. Let's give us a shot."

Chris said nothing, but his face broke out into an ecstatic smile, so beautiful it took my breath away, and before I could say anything he picked me up and spun me around, kissing me as he did so, pouring all the love and joy he felt into it; I laughed into his mouth and returned his kiss with added gusto.

When the need for oxygen made us break apart again, he put me down and the two of us just looked into each other's eyes, breathing heavily, both of us wearing silly grins, neither of us caring who was watching us, for Chris and I were just content to be with each other.

We only broke apart when the sound of happy squealing caught our ears. The sound made me panic for about half a second, mistaking the sound for screams of fear and death, but then reason took hold of me as I saw that it was Sian who was the one who was squealing with pure joy as Kopa spun her around, and Mr Dawson was making his way ack to the castle with a grin on his face. Wanting to know what Sian and Kopa were so happy about, Chris and i went over to them.

As we walked, I wondered how I was going to interact with Kopa. Sure he was my brother and I had to talk to him in order to get to know him, but I didn't know how to approach him on any subject. As though sensing my train of thought, Chris said, "Hey, you two have ages to talk yet. Just let it happen naturally; everything has its time, you know."

I looked at him, surprised by how right he was. I kissed his cheek, showing my gratitude for his wisdom.

"You're right," I said. "We don't need to rush it, for we have plenty of time to talk - just like you and your dad."

"Don't remind me," Chris muttered, rolling his eyes. I giggled at that, and he glared at me mockingly, but I just shrugged as we kept on walking.

As we approached them, Chris and I could see that Sian and Kopa were stuck in a passionate embrace. I hated to break them up but I knew that it was the only way we were going to learn what had happened. So we stopped a few feet from them and coughed together loudly.

Sian and Kopa broke apart instantly, their faces reddening slightly at seeing who it was, but they still remained with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Hey, guys!" said Sian breathlessly. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Well, we heard you squealing joyously as your father walked back to the castle, Sian, so we're here to ask what news he could have possibly given you to be this happy right now," I explained.

Sian grinned at Kopa, who nodded, and she turned to us and said, "My father's just given us his blessing! He's finally accepted us together!"

Chris and I looked at each other, surprised by this turn of events, but we were no less happy for them, for it was about time Mr Dawson accepted them as a couple. Chris and I expressed our delight for them as we hugged them.

"Congratulations!"

"That's wonderful news!"

"Thanks," said Sian happily, once mine and Chris' happy views were said. "You know, we've waited for my father to accept us for so long, and now that he has … I can hardly believe it!"

"Neither can I!" added Kopa, and the four of us laughed. Once our laughter had died down, he turned to me and said, "I hope this means we can get to know each other better, for I've only heard about you from Sian, so I would like to hear about the real you from you."

I turned to Sian as he said this, for this was the first time I had heard about it. I understood why, and why Sian had kept quiet about it, but I was intrigued as to what she had told him about me.

"You talked about me?"

"Yes, quite often," Sian answered rather reluctantly. "You know, at one point, before I knew who he really was, I got so suspicious about him asking all these questions about you, that I actually thought he had a thing for you."

Chris and I ogled Sian as she said that as Kopa chuckled, and Sian's face turned redder.

"What?"

"Seriously?"

Sian nodded shyly, her eyes on the ground, but Kopa was having none of it: he lifted her head to meet his, his eyes holding nothing but love and tenderness for her as he said, "You know, I had actually forgotten about that until this moment. You really were adorable when you asked me that, and that was one of many things that made me fall in love with you."

Sian smiled sweetly at him and they kissed again, keeping it short this time. Kopa then turned his attention back to me and said, "So, what do you say, Kiara? Will you give me a chance? Will you open your heart for the brother you thought you had lost and forgive me for not telling you who I was?"

"Of course I will," I answered, for what else could I say?

Kopa sighed in relief and pleasure at not losing another family member, and let go of Sian for a moment and held his arms open for me. I approached him slowly and hugged him, thrilled that I had one more member of my family living, although I have to admit it was slightly awkward, which is probably why it didn't last long.

Once we had let go of each other, Kopa and I smiled rather awkwardly; and it was only when he was stood next to Sian again did I remember what I needed her help with.

"Uh - Sian? Could I have your help with something? Alone?"

Sian looked at me curiously for a few moments, then nodded. She turned to Kopa and said, "Honey, why don't you go with Chris back into the castle and do a bit of bonding? We won't be long."

"Are you sure?" Chris asked, coming up behind me.

I could sense his insecurity, so I turned to face him and quickly reassured him. "Absolutely. It's nothing too dangerous, don't worry. So you and Kopa go to the castle, get yourselves some food and we'll meet you there shortly. Besides, you guys are practically brothers through Sian and I anyway, so you might as well start bonding now."

Sian's eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth as Chris and Kopa looked at each other, neither of them knowing what to say. Eventually, they both nodded, and before they headed back to the castle, Kopa gave Sian a swift kiss as Chris whispered in my ear, "Promise me you won't be too long?"

"I promise," I whispered back.

Chris then smiled, kissed my temple and then he and Kopa strode side by side back to Dragon Mort, as Sian came to stand beside me. As we watched them go, we heard Chris say, "It's good to finally meet the man behind the mask, if you don't mind me saying that …"

"Good thinking on your part, Kiara, getting our brothers to hang out on their own," said Sian quietly.

"Well, it had to happen sometime, don't you think?"

We both laughed at this, then we fell silent for a few moments. I could think of nothing to say, so I looked at Sian, who was watching Chris and Kopa's retreating backs with a proud smile on her face, and out of nowhere I suddenly blurted out, "I can't believe I'm standing next to the Girl Who Saves the World!"

Sian quickly looked at me as I lowered my gaze to the ground, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. I had no idea where that had come from, and I couldn't help but wonder what Sian must think of me for saying such a thing, hoping she wouldn't be too mad at me for fangirling all over her like that, but to my relief she said, "Kiara, it's OK. I'm not mad at you."

I raised my eyes nervously, my face halfway pointed at the ground as I asked, "Really?"

But Sian's tone was kind as she answered, "Yes, really. I understand your shock, Kiara, and to be honest I would be surprised if you hadn't acted the way you did."

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and looked at Sian properly then, and just by looking at her I could tell she was ready to talk about it, so I said, "I'm glad you're not mad at me, Sian, but … I just can't believe that after all these years … that this was the secret that you were keeping … I hardly know what to say to you right now!"

"I understand your feelings completely, Kiara," said Sian, chuckling. Then she sighed deeply and said, "Can you forgive me for not telling you all these years?"

I looked at Sian properly then, who was begging me with her eyes to forgive her, but I did not need to look in her eyes to forgive her, because somehow I found I already had: for after all we had been through, how could I not? But seeing how Sian was looking at me expectantly for my answer, and how scared she also looked, I said quickly, "Of course I forgive you. But there's something I don't understand …"

As soon as I had said those words, Sian's relieved look faded quickly, as her face blanched and her eyes grew wide. "And what would that be, Kiara?" she asked anxiously.

"Why did you never tell me? Didn't you trust me?"

"No! No, it was never a question of trust, Kiara," she said, so earnestly that I believed her. After a short pause, she went on, "After I had gained your trust and you mine, I don't know why I kept it from you. I suppose the closest reason I can give you is that I had spent so long keeping it from people that I didn't know how to tell you. I know that's not fair to you, after all that you have shared with Chris, Chrissie and I, but at least I'm being honest with you about it."

I nodded, knowing that that was as good an answer as I was going to get. So I then asked her, "And your family were all in on this?"

"Not all of them. Just my parents, my siblings, Kat, Sam, Perdy and Tanya and Geri. Not even Ferdinand knew until I revealed it this morning. Although, why Perdy never told anyone at the Ministry I was the Girl Who Saved the World still astounds me, for I knew if she had that Ministry officials would have come knocking and asking questions, which is the last thing I wanted."

I thought about this for a moment and said, "Maybe she forgot about it?"

"No, I don't think so," said Sian, shaking her head. "A secret that big is hardly one she'd forget in a hurry."

"Then, what?" I said, not knowing what other explanation there could be.

"I think," said Sian slowly, as though she was just putting the pieces together, "that somewhere in her proud, ambitious mind there lay a little respect for me, no matter what she thought of my family, and I'll always be grateful to her for that."

I smiled, satisfied with Sian's answer. Sian seemed satisfied with it too, for she decided to change the subject.

"So, Kiara, what is it you need my help with?"

I looked at her, confused for a moment with what she meant, before I quickly remembered why I had pulled her aside in the first place. So I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out the Stick of Fear.

"This is why I need your help, Sian. You know where we have to put it back, don't you?"

I looked steadily at Sian, but she didn't look scared or sad. She had a look of determined resolve on her face. She didn't say anything, just nodded her consent.

I nodded back, gave her a reassuring smile and then the two of us set off together, neither of us saying where we were going, for we both knew what we had to do.

As we walked, I decided to ask Sian: "So, are you going to stay behind and help with the clean up, then?"

"Yes," she answered. "My siblings and I will stay and help, and I'm sure Dad won't mind, either. Besides, I think it wouldn't make my mother happy to know that her own children didn't stay behind to help the school repair the damages that have been done. What about you, Kiara? Are you staying behind to help?"

"Yeah, I'm going to have to," I said, "not just because I would feel guilty if I didn't do something to help get the school back on its feet, but also because now that I'm free of Zira, and I said goodbye to my grandmothers and their cottage months ago, I have nowhere else to go for a few days or weeks while you and the rest of your family are here."

"You know, Kiara, you always have a home with me and my family at the Manor for however long you wish, and you always will. So don't you worry about not having a place to go to."

"Thanks, S.D.," I said. Then I asked her, "So, do you think the castle will be fully functional again once it's been repaired? Do you think everything will be the same as it was before, and work just as it once did?"

Sian looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Hmm. I don't know. It depends, really."

"On what?"

Sian stopped suddenly and gave me a glare that I often associated with Chris, Chrissie and I being ignorant in our studies that I had to suppress a grin at seeing such a look cross her features again.

"See," she said in her old familiar bossy briskness, "this is exactly why you should have read _Dragon Mort: A History_ , Kiara, because if you had then you would know that the four founders placed their own kinds of magic on the castle, spells and enchantments that were probably never written down, not to mention that they are thousands of years old, so therefore I think most of it can be repaired, but there will be certain areas that are going to be quite … tricky, to rebuild."

I just stared at Sian, momentarily taken aback by how knowledgeable she was (why, I do not know, as I had seen her like this so many times before), but looking for something to say I blurted out, "I've truly missed this side of you, S.D."

"I know," Sian said, a huge grin on her face. "I never thought I would get the chance to show that side of me off again."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd have found a way," I teased her.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't have been the same, for it won't be in the same environment."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not knowing where she was going with this.

Sian looked at me and said, "Don't get me wrong, I want to be with Kopa. He's my life, my future, my whole world. But I'll be relying on my own advice and experiences to help guide people through, rather than my knowledge that I have gained through books."

I understood immediately what she was going on about, and wanting to reassure her I said, "You'll be fine. You've said many speeches to motivate, inspire and lead us on. There's a reason people listen to you, Sian. Never take the power of words for granted."

Sian looked like she had been struck dumb by my words, and she looked at me as though seeing me for the first time. She then said slowly, "That might possibly be the wisest thing you have ever said to me …"

I merely shrugged and said, "I think your mother may have rubbed off on me somewhat."

Sian glared mockingly at me, and I responded with an innocent shrug. She and I then laughed again as we started walking once more, and neither of us said another word as we walked to the place where Crighton's tomb was.

When we got close enough to the tomb, Sian and I stopped and looked at it, taking in the destruction that Zira had caused. You could instantly tell that it had been vandalised because the top of the tomb was cracked, with chunks of white marble strewn around and inside it. Although it looked like someone had tried to mend it, as a few of the big pieces of marble were on top, it was clear that they had not succeeded.

I turned to look at Sian, who I was worried about, but I need not have worried at all, for instead of tears, a hardened look of anger had settled over her features.

"How could she do this?" she growled lowly.

I said nothing, but put my arms around her, wanting her to know that it was going to be all right, that I was with her and that she wasn't going to go through this alone. Sian turned to me and smiled, then looked back at the tomb and said heavily, "Let's do this."

Sian and I then walked right up to the tomb and looked inside it. There was Crighton's body, almost perfectly preserved, except for the slightly sunken skin, and where her arms were crossed the lilies that had been placed there by Mr Dawson and her children so many months ago, now dried and shrivelled, had all been brushed aside hastily and without care by Zira.

I scowled at the sight.

"Who d'you think tried to fix it, S.D.?" I asked.

"I don't think any of my siblings did," she answered. "I think the fear of seeing Ma's corpse and the fear of getting caught stopped them. So I think it more likely that a teacher tried, probably Darbus or Triphorm. Not that they could have done much, anyway …"

"How so?"

"Because, Kiara, Guardian - _Kandrakarian_ magic, I should say - is very different and much more complex than the magic of this world," Sian explained. "The closest I can compare it to is that Kandrakarian magic is like another dimension to this world's magic: both are very similar, yet one is more advanced than the other. Which is why only a Guardian can fix what they lay their magic over."

This information surprised me, for I had no idea Kandrakarian magic worked like that. But I brushed that aside as I remembered what we were there to do. I went to put the Stick of Fear back in the tomb, but I was stopped by Sian, who had flung her arm out. I stopped, not knowing what Sian was going to do, and I watched as she arranged the lilies in her mother's arms again. Once she had arranged them neatly she nodded to me, so i went and placed the Stick of Fear beneath the boquet of dead lilies. Once this was done, Sian covered her mother's body gently with the wrappings surrounding her, then moved to the head of the tomb.

Sian then pulled the Heart of Kandrakar out of her T-shirt and blew on it, making it glow a bright pink. She then let go of it, and the Heart floated directly above the middle of Crighton's body, where it glowed brightly, and I saw the Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Spirit runes engraved on the marble responding to it immediately, each rune glowing in its respected colour. I then covered my eyes as the white light glowed brighter, and fortunately this only lasted for a few seconds before it faded. When I opened my eyes, shaking my head to rid of the bright spots obscuring my vision, I could see that the top of the tomb had been completely restored to how it looked before Zira had blasted it open, with not a single crack in sight.

I simply stood there, amazed by the power of Kandrakarian magic, as Sian reached out, took the Heart back and his it beneath her T-shirt again. Looking at Sian, I saw that she was pretty impressed with her handiwork.

"Wow," I breathed.

"It's not much, but it'll do," said Sian, as though all she had done was turn a matchstick into a needle. I was surprised by how unimpressed she was with what she had just done, but then again I wasn't a Guardian of Kandrakar, and Sian and her sisters must have done more impressive magic than this as Guardians.

Once the Heart was gone, Sian placed her hands on top f the tomb, brushing the stone, a secret smile on her face. I had no idea of what she was thinking, for there were times where I could not tell what was going through her head, but I was certain of one thing: a smile like that could only mean that she was planning something.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her, desperate to know what was going on in Sian's rather secretive mind.

"Oh, just something that will make my mother happy, so that she can be honoured properly now that Zira's destroyed," she answered, looking at the castle and nodding as she spoke, the secret smile never leaving her lips.

Understanding that this was all the information I was going to get from Sian on that subject (and rather annoyingly so, I might add), I decided to pose a different question, one that I was sure to get a definite answer to, yet it was the answer I feared.

"Sian, will anyone be able to get into your mother's tomb again now that it's been repaired by Guardian magic, or will the magic weaken over time?"

Sian quickly turned back to me and gave me a reassuring smile.

"No, the magic that I have placed upon it will remain as strong as ever. It will never weaken. I have also made sure that no charm or curse will ever break it, so that from this point forth it shall be unbreakable, in case someone with ordinary magic or Kandrakarian magic tries to break it. Let's hope that this is the end of it."

I nodded, unable to think of anything to say to that.

Sian and I then turned to each other, a look of understanding passing between us. Then, knowing that we had done what we came here to do, Sian lowered her gaze for a moment, closed her eyes briefly, then looked back at me and said, "Now, why don't we head back inside and see where our brothers have got to, and hope that they haven't said or done anything to make them go at each other's throats."

"God forbid!" I exclaimed.

Sian and I laughed and walked back to the castle, and I didn't know about Sian, but I was relieved to put the Stick of Fear back in the arms of Crighton's corpse, where I dearly hoped that it would stay for the rest of time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **The Dragon Mort Clean up**

 **KIARA**

Unbeknownst to most of us in Dragon Mort that day, plans had already begun to take place for its clean up. Naturally, Kara had to return to the Ministry to set things right there, but she said that she would drop back in a few days to see how things were shaping up, and not just because it was her duty as temporary Minister for Magic, either.

Professor Darbus had been busy writing to all those wizarding families whose children went to Dragon Mort, saying that the school would be closed until September the first as repairs had to be done. And all around the school that day areas with the most damage done to them were checked to see what could be done with our own magic, and if not, looking to see if there was anything referencing the magic the four founders used.

Mina had also gone into the Forest by herself, and brought back my parents' bodies from the spider's lair, and to be honest I was surprised, yet happy and relieved, that their bodies hadn't been devoured by them. They were placed gently in the Great Hall with the others, right in the middle for everyone to see.

Mr Dawson had agreed to let his children stay behind to help clean up the school, saying that he thought that it would be a disservice to Crighton if her own children didn't help at all; and to further this point, the Dawson children were all eager to do what they could to help Dragon Mort get back on its feet. And Mr Dawson was staying to help, too, for he told me that Kara had given him some time off to do what he could for Dragon Mort, knowing how much the school meant to him and his children, and how he wanted to spend as much time as possible with them now that Zira was gone for good.

We wouldn't know where we would be sent to within the castle, or what jobs we were going to get, until the next day but we did know that Professor Darbus had said that those who wanted to go home could do so, as the Dragon Mort subs would be willing to take them home not long after breakfast the next day. Quite a few people decided to take up on the offer to go home, the Maltys included, but the ones who stayed behind with the Dawsons and I included Mr Rickers, Kopa, Nikita, Lincoln, Dena, Zara, Perry Party, Sarah Rimmer and her brother Chris, Emily Mac, Henry Abbott, Teri Boots, Michelle Corn, Justine Colewood and Annabelle Goldform. Quite a few old students were staying behind to help as well, like Sam, Kat, Perdy and Geri, Khan Chan, Olivia Cane, Andrew Johnstone, Alex Spinns, Keith Ball and Leah Jones. And seeing as Sam was staying behind to help, that mean Ferdinand was staying too.

The next day at breakfast, the Great Hall wasn't as loud as normal, and it was not just because of the shortage of people there. The Hall was full of a low muttering, which was understandable, and when Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I entered the murmuring instantly stopped as every eye turned on us. I knew that something like this would happen, but that did not mean that I liked all the attention. So I ducked my head all the way over to the Lion-Heart table as Chris put his arm around me. I glanced sideways at Sian and Chrissie, who both took different takes on the attention: Chrissie clearly relished in the attention that was coming our way, whereas Sian kept her eyes fixed directly ahead of her, not at all perturbed by the attention we were getting, and in that moment I wished that I had Sian's nerve to face the world head-on, not caring about any attention that was thrown her way, just focusing on her destination, nothing more.

Once we got to the Lion-Heart table, we sat down next to Kopa, with Sian sitting right beside him, and as soon as we had sat down the noise started up again as everyone became engrossed in their own conversations once more.

"I really hate this," I said distastefully, dumping sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs on to my plate unceremoniously.

"Hate what?" asked Chrissie.

"All the attention!" I said in a loud whisper. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad everyone's happy she's gone, I just wish everyone would stop ogling me when I walk into a room."

"Well, you're just going to have to get used to it, I'm afraid," said Chris conversationally. "After all, you're not just the Girl Who Lived any more, Kiara. You're everyone's wizarding Princess too now, don't forget."

"Ugh, don't remind me," I said, putting my face in my hands as I thought, _'Great, more attention … just what I need …'_

I then heard Sian's voice as though it was coming from the end of a long tunnel say, "Kiara, don't you think this is why my mother never told you about you and your family being royalty?"

I raised my head slowly and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Kiara, the only reason my mother never told you about your family being royalty, and getting those who knew about it to swear to secrecy until you were old enough to know, is that she didn't think you'd be able to take it at the time. After all, you were already known for being the Girl Who Lived, and look how much attention that's given you over the years. So can you imagine just how much attention you would have gotten if everyone knew back then that you're a princess too?"

I thought about it, and I could see the attention on me being doubled … people stopping me in the corridors and in the streets to ask me questions, or else stopping as they parted quickly in order for me to pass by them, and as I walked by they would all bow and curtsey … and reporters like Peter Meter would try to badger me with questions every few days or so, with photographers snapping their cameras at me any given opportunity, and reporters would make stuff up in order to please fans as i was protected by my entourage ...

I shuddered at these thoughts, and I suddenly didn't feel hungry any more.

"Exactly," said Sian, who had seemed to have followed my train of thought. "And for the record, that is why I disguised myself in a wig, concealer and contact lenses, because I knew that I couldn't handle all the attention head-on at such a young age if everyone knew who I really was. But now that I'm older and wiser, I know I can."

"But how do I do that?" I asked, unsure of how to.

"By keeping a tightly closed lid on your private life, and making sure that when you're in public to put your public face on," she answered. "Now, there are two public faces you must have: the first is when you are greeting crowds, or walking amongst a crowd of people, which is when you smile, wave and greet them politely. The second is dealing with the press, which is when you stare straight ahead of you, keep your expression blank and be sure to answer none of their questions. But when you are in both situations, Kiara, you must always hold your head up high, because to not do so is considered a weakness, and that what you say or do reflects upon everything that you care about, from your people to your family."

"Sian's right, Kiara," said Kopa seriously, looking at me gently yet firmly. "You and I are royalty now, and we are both going to be in the spotlight from now on, along with Sian and Chris, which means that we are going to have to put our public faces on. I know you don't like it, Kiara, but it's something that you are going to have to learn, for as good as schools are to us, how to deal with fame is not one of them."

He gave me a soft, apologetic smile then turned to Sian, leaving me to contemplate what he had just said, and I was astounded by how wise and right his words were. I didn't think too long about them, for a few minutes later the post owls came swooping in, and as I saw them I thought with a pang of Harold, who would no longer bring me mail, and would no longer nip my fingers affectionately, would no longer click his beak at me and give me sass ...

A large barn owl landed in front of Sian carrying a copy of the _Daily Squabbler_ in its beak. Sian took the paper, paid for it and opened it up. Looking at the front page, Sian gasped and said, "Kara's spoken out about changes within the Ministry and Dragon Mort. Listen: _Early yesterday evening, a press conference was called upon by new temporary Minister for Magic, Kara Shackles, to announce new Ministry guidelines, which have been put into immediate effect._

 _"'Already we are tightening security within the Ministry," said Minister Shackles. 'This includes checking everyone once they are inside the Ministry, using a combination of charms and Secrecy Sensors, to look for any harmful substances on them, as well as making sure that no one entering the Ministry has been Imperiused. We will also be checking that no one has taken, or else has upon them, any Polyjuice Potion. We will have round the clock security on hand to search all those who come into the Ministry, to ensure the safety of all who work here._

 _"'I have also spoken to several of my colleagues today, and many of them have expressed an interest in being counsellors to provide support for those who have fought in the battle at Dragon Mort, and I hope that they will be ready in a few months time.'_

 _"This was not the only change the Minister has made, as she announced a change in Dragon Mort, that most students should find agreeable._

 _"'I have spoken with Professor Deidre Darbus, hereby known as the new Headmistress of Dragon Mort Magical Academy, and we have both agreed that all of those who were seventeen at the time of the battle are allowed to leave the school to pursue their own careers if they so wish it. Myself and a few Aurors are selecting a few people who we want to help try and track down those Love Destroyers who are on the run, but I cannot say names just yet to ask them, and we are waiting for Dragon Mort to be repaired before we take things further.'_

 _"We here at the_ Squabbler _hope that the names of Kiara Pride-Lander and the Girl Who Saves the World, Sian Dawson, who announced that she is Athena Amethyst Phoenixclaw yesterday, will be some of the names on that list, for we feel like they would be doing a disservice to the wizarding world if they didn't. But one thing is certain: the start of this new regime can only mean the start of a better and bright future for us all, a hope that the wizarding world has not had in recent years. (An article on the Girl Who Saves the World can be found on page 7.)"_

We were all silent for a moment, letting this information wash over us. Chrissie was the first one to break the silence.

"I can't believe we can leave school without finishing our N.E.W.T.s first!" she said delightedly. "That's so cool! Nice one, Kara!"

"Chrissie, we'll be doing hard work for the Ministry if we do decide to leave," said Chris. "It won't be fun and games, you know."

"Well of course I know that, Chris, I'm not that stupid," Chrissie spat. "Look, I've loved it here, I really have, but I don't want to be sat in school, working hard, while knowing that there are people out there who used to stand beside Zira, who are now in hiding and evading capture are not being brought to justice. Not only is it wrong, but I don't like the idea of sitting here, learning stuff, while they're out there getting away with it, especially after what happened to Tanya."

Chris glowered at those words as Sian bowed her head. Kopa lay his hand over her clenched one, stroking the skin with his thumb as I put my hand on Chris' shoulder. At my touch he looked up at me. I smiled at him reassuringly and he smiled back, placing a gentle kiss to my hand which rested on his shoulder. I blushed at this form of intimacy, but welcomed it all the same.

"Well, if Kara asks for my help, then I'm not coming back next year," said Chrissie. Turning to Chris and I she added, "What about you guys? Will you be coming back next year?"

"No."

"Me neither."

Chris, Chrissie and I all turned to Sian, who merely shrugged and said, "You guys all know how academic I am. I want to do this."

Chris and I nodded understandingly. Chrissie, however, was the only one of us who was shocked by Sian's answer, for she said disbelievingly, "But Sian, we're allowed to finish school without going through our exams first, and you want to stick around here and do more schoolwork while the rest of us are living our lives! Are you mental?"

"I know this may seem mad to you, sister," said Sian curtly, "but to me finishing my final year here will give me a feeling of normalcy that I have not felt for a very long time. But it's not just for myself that I want to do this, for I have a feeling that Ma, even in death, would be disappointed in me if i don't do this."

"But Sian - "

"I know, Chrissie, but I want to do this, for me. And Kopa and I have talked about it, and he has said that he'll wait for as long as it takes so that we can be together. Besides, this is one of the reasons we fought to live our lives the way we want to live them without the constant fear of the enemy hanging over our every move."

Chrissie finally seemed to understand what Sian was saying, for she smiled and nodded, then said, "Well it's certainly going to be weird not seeing you everyday, Sian. You, Kiara, Chris and I have been a team for so long, after all."

"Yeah. It's the end of an era, huh?" said Chris.

"It may be an ending to one chapter in our lives," said Sian, "but don't forget that as one chapter ends, another begins, and in this case it marks the beginning of a better and brighter future for us all."

We all smiled at Sian's words of wisdom and Kopa put the hand he was holding to his lips and kissed it. Sian just smiled and blushed, but she looked up at him with nothing but pure adoration and love burning in her eyes.

Chrissie then leant over to where Sian had put the paper, snatched it up and asked her, "Aren't you going to read the article about yourself, Sian?"

"No," she answered flatly.

"Why not?"

"Look at who it's written by."

Shrugging, Chrissie opened the paper to the correct page and, after surveying the article carefully for a few moments she said, "It's written by Peter Meter."

"And that's why I'm not reading it," said Sian, tucking into her bacon, and that was all that was said on the matter.

Once the plates were all sparkling and clear of food once more, Professor Darbus rose from her spot at the teachers table and strode to the podium with purpose.

"Good morning, everyone," she said loudly and clearly. "Now, for those of you who have not read the _Squabbler_ this morning, or have read it and are doubting if what it says is true, well I am going to make this clear to you all right here, right now, by telling you that yes, those of you who are of age or over when the battle took place that are students here may leave if you want to. But before you may do so - " she pressed on loudly, as excited chatter began to fill the air, "before you may do so, the castle needs cleaning up, and we need your help to fix it. The staff and I have organised a plan of the most serious parts of the castle that need to be taken care of immediately, and we will be putting you all to work shortly. But first thing's first, the Dragon Mort submarines will be here shortly to take those of you who want to go home. So go and collect your belongings, say farewell to your friends, and then those of you who are staying behind to help will meet myself and the staff back here afterwards, so I suggest you all get a move on."

There was a great clattering and scraping of benches as we all got to our feet and proceeded to the Entrance Hall, where some of us waited quietly while the rest set off to their dormitories to collect their possessions.

Those of us who were staying to see the others off did not have to wait long to see those who were leaving go. There were quite a few younger students who had snuch back in to fight were leaving, Denise McCreevey amongst them, who told me before she left that she was going to tell her mum."

"She was going to find out somehow, anyway," said Denise sadly, "and if I don't tell her, then who is? Mum's a Muggle, after all. If she hasn't got a letter by now, then I'll have to tell her and help her try to get through the pain."

I nodded in understanding and hugged Denise, who held me without complaint. When we let go, she flashed me a brief smile and walked away with her head bowed solemnly, and as I looked around at those who were leaving, I saw that they all bore similar expressions of sadness to Denise, not that I could blame them, for all of us who had fought had known someone who had died, or else had come face to face with the horrors of war.

Among those who were leaving were the three Maltys, who stayed very close together, moving quickly through the crowd, not making eye contact with anyone. Someone else who was moving quickly was Zhi Smith, who had come back with many other students who had left the castle last night before the fighting started, due to a message that the school had sent to Dragsmeade early this morning. Anyway, Zhi Smith was almost running to the front doors in her haste to get out of the castle, dodging people hither and thither, glowering at everyone she met, and I think it will please many of you to know that Zhi Smith will no longer be mentioned in this story.

Once those who wanted to leave had gone, those of us who remained traipsed back into the Great Hall where we were put to different tasks in different areas of the castle, just in classrooms or unused rooms, or else repairing a broken window or two; the staircases were left for the teachers until the very end to see what could be done. I believe the only parts of the school that were unaffected were the dungeons, so no work was needed there (obviously).

The classrooms that were in use were watched over by teachers as we cleaned them, but that was mainly to provide guidance for those who were not of age. The rest of us were given out tasks and then left to it as they went to help the younger students. And as we repaired the castle, we found that it was not just a case of repairing broken walls and windows, for there were also many magical objects that needed testing to see if they could still work efficiently. The pieces that worked or had moderate damage to them and could easily be fixed stayed, and those that were destroyed beyond repair were moved elsewhere, and each item had to be written down so that another one could be ordered. I believe that the broken objects were all moved down to the dungeons somewhere, as the Room of Needs was now out of the question.

Mina had a busy time of it too, attending to the owls who had been attacked during the battle, as well as burying those who had been killed in the grounds down by the river, and I was once again reminded of Harold, and how he had died so suddenly, so soon. I only hoped that none of the owls that had died had suffered too much.

Chris, Chrissie and I worked with Nikita in the Defence Against the Dark Arts department, as Sian, Kopa and a few others worked in the library, sorting through the books that could be saved, and the ones that needed to be replaced. I had no idea where everyone else was or what they were doing, but what I do know is that we were all very busy from the sounds of walls and windows that were being repaired, of grunts as various objects were removed and by the light chatter that drifted through the corridors. Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Kopa and I only caught up with each other at mealtimes, saying little but enjoying each other's company, and by the time we went to bed at night it took us all an effort to drag our feet up the stairs and to our beds as we were all exhausted by all the repairs we were doing.

We worked our way steadily through the castle over the days that followed, going from room to room, corridor to corridor, doing all we could to help fix up the place. Of course, Weeves decided to "help" us from time to time, by dropping in unexpectedly and start throwing bits of whatever she could find at us, which meant that a member of staff would come running to see what was happening and would send Weeves on her way, but not before she flung whatever she was holding at someone's head, which meant that those who were being aimed at had to duck rather quickly to avoid getting hit.

As the days passed, Sian would get the _Squabbler_ each morning and we would hear all of the good going on: about how the Ministry had already captured a few well-known Love Destroyers, how certain Ministry members were being held in Azkaban for their dalliances with the Love Destroyers, how the Stingers were no longer guarding Azkaban and were replaced by Aurors, and there was also an article about my family being the first royal family in wizarding history, which, I was most surprised to see, had been written with facts involved, and also within that article was an apology to me from the _Squabbler_ , saying how sorry they were for all those falsities and accusations its had shot at me over the past few years.

"Changed its tune towards me a bit, hasn't it?" I said, the morning of our fifth day at Dragon Mort, once Sian had finished reading the article to us.

"Maybe it doesn't want to get on the wrong side of you now that you're such a big deal - in more ways than one," said Chrissie, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"Well I certainly hope so," said Kopa firmly, his expression serious. "Heaven knows our family has had enough bad press to be getting on with in recent years."

"So has ours, if you haven't noticed," said Chrissie tartly.

Before Kopa could retaliate, Sian said loudly, "Well, let's try and change that now Zira's gone, shall we? Let us work to bring respect and honour back to our families' names from now on."

Sian looked steadily from Kopa to Chrissie, who looked at each other blankly for a few moments before smiling slightly and nodding. Sian breathed a sigh of relief at seeing this, covering Kopa's hand and shooting him a gratified smile. Kopa said nothing, but lifted her hand to his lips.

"What I don't get is," said Chris suddenly, "why hasn't there been any word on the people who died here? Surely that would have been news by now?"

"Oh, Professor Darbus is keeping that hushed up for now," Sian said. "But she's going to tell the press about it in a conference that will take place shortly before the school reopens. She told me."

"How will she tell them?" I asked.

"I don't know. I didn't ask her. All I know is that she has something special in mind to honour those who fought for us, and that it'll be done at nightfall."

"Nightfall?" Chris, Kopa, Chrissie and I said together.

"I know, I don't get it, either, but I didn't question her for details. I trust what she is going to do, and that's enough."

Sian then gave us all a look that clearly said "and that should be enough for you all too" before she tucked into her cornflakes, holding Kopa's hand as she ate.

As the days passed, Kopa and I were still not talking to each other, even though there was little time for us to talk much, but I did notice that it was causing some awkwardness in our group. Chris, Sian and Chrissie tried to keep the flow normal by including both of us in any discussion that came to them, but that seemed to make things more ... strained somehow, like something was coming between us, carrying us further and further apart. I wished that Kopa and I could have a relationship like the one Chris and his father were beginning to develop, for I would often see them after dinner strolling around the river together, but I didn't know how to. Also, I don't think it was helping matters much that Kopa and I kept on avoiding each other, which I think had a lot to do with the fact that he did not know how to talk to me, as I had no idea about how to approach him.

Chris, Sian and Chrissie were obviously aware of our discomfort, and I think they wanted to help us but didn't know how, although there were times when I would catch them sitting huddled together, conversing in hushed tones, only stopping when one of them noticed me approaching, acting overly-casual and not fooling me at all; Sian at least tried to make an effort, but it was ruined by the not so subtle glares she shot at Chris and Chrissie. When I asked what they were talking about, they just said "Nothing!" quickly - much too quickly. I found this behaviour odd, but I shook my head and thought nothing of it, knowing that I would find out what they were up to soon enough.

And indeed I did, about a week and a half after the battle had ended. I was in an unused classroom that had some broken tables and equipment in it, along with a few smashed windows and a rather large hole in the wall. I was waiting for Chris and Chrissie, who said that they both needed the loo and would be with me shortly, but I started to suspect that they were lying to me when five minutes had gone, and just as I was starting to wonder if I should go and check where they were, the door burst open.

"Finally, I was wondering where you two had - " I began annoyingly, stopping when I saw who was stood in the doorway, who seemed as shocked to see me as I was to see him.

It was Kopa.

Neither one of us spoke, not knowing what to say, the air so thick with tension you could cut through it. After several long minutes had passed in silence, I said, "So … we were tricked here, huh?"

"Yes, we were," said Kopa, "and now that I think about it, it did seem rather odd that Sian said she left something in here when she never forgets anything. Knowing that you would be in here, I didn't want to come down here, but Sian was rather persistent about it. You know how she gets."

I nodded and asked, "Did she give you her classic 'don't ask me on this, just do it' face when you tried to get out of it?"

Kopa blinked, surprised, then laughed. "Yes, she did! How do you know about that?"

I shrugged and said, "Well, we have known each other a long time … plus, I've seen her pull that face on Chrissie quite a few times over the years, so if she ever does that face to me, I'm going to do as she asks at once to save any arguments I could possibly have with her."

Kopa nodded, a smile curving his lips. "Those two sure do argue a lot, don't they?"

"Yeah, I think it's something of a family hazard between them, to be honest," I said.

Kopa and I laughed at that, a pure honest laugh, and already I could feel a shift in the air around us. It amazed me just how much more free and comfortable we had become around each other within a matter of minutes, something Kopa seemed to realise too. We smiled at each other, and I knew from that moment on that there would be no further awkwardness between us.

Kopa then shut the door, turned to see the wreckage of the room, clapped his hands together and said, "So, shall we get started, then?"

I nodded, and we sat side by side, working together in a comfortable silence, neither of us saying a word except for when we would be checking if the magical objects were fit to be used again or not. For a while, it went on like this, often followed by the occasional _clunk_ of an object thrown into a box that would be taken down to the dungeons, quickly followed by a scratching of a quill on parchment for the object that needed to be replaced, until Kopa said, "Can I ask you something, Kiara?"

"Of course, anything," I replied instantly.

"What was it like, growing up with our grandmothers?"

I felt like I had been kicked in the heart all over again, but I pushed through the pain as I answered, "It was everything you'd expect and more, really. They were always kind, always good. I felt safe, loved and protected there; they never made me want for anything. I got to go riding on my horse, Timmy, when the weather was good, and we would go riding together all day when I was younger, with two boxes of snacks for me and a few things for Timmy too that they had prepared for me. But it wasn't all plain sailing and good times with them, especially when Aunt Mavuto was around - "

"Aunt Mavuto?" said Kopa suddenly. "Who's that? I don't remember anyone mentioning her before."

I blinked at him, shocked. "You never knew about Mum's sister? No one ever told you about her?"

Kopa shook his head. "No, never. There must be a reason for it, though. How did she treat you? What's she like?"

I grimaced as I answered him. "Well, when I was little, she wasn't a particularly nice person to me, nor was her daughter, Carol, or her husband, Frank, but I learned when I was twelve that he was only pretending not to like me so as to appease his wife, who is a very intimidating woman. Anyway, I spent time with them once a year up until the year I turned eleven, which was on Carol's birthday, and each year would be the same: I'd do some accidental magic when Carol upset or angered me, Mavuto would freak out and try to hit me, then she'd take me home, where she would complain to my - our grandmothers about me before leaving and slamming the door. Needless to say I was glad when those days ended."

"I can tell," said Kopa, who looked shocked that such a person could be related to our mother. "Sian told me a house-elf by the name of Dokey got you in trouble with them, didn't she, when you were twelve?"

"Oh, that," I said with a wry chuckle, as I thought, with a pang, of Dokey. "Yeah. Mavuto, Frank and Carol had taken over our cottage just to impress someone of great importance to Mavuto. I can't really remember who. Anyway, Grandmother Sarabi and I went up to my room to stay there for a few hours, and when I opened the door there was Dokey, bouncing on my bed. She had come to warn me not to go back to Dragon Mort that year - which is a whole different story - and one of the ways she had thought of to stop me going back was to keep my friends' letters from me, and when I disagreed she headed downstairs, levitated a pudding my aunt had made and dropped it right over this woman's head. And naturally, I got the blame for it, and not just by my aunt, either."

"The Ministry knew about it and blamed you?" said Kopa.

"Yep," I nodded, "and I ended up being locked in Aunt Mavuto's attic for a few days because of it, and it was there that I learned that Uncle Frank loved me, and a few days later I was saved by Sian and our grandmothers."

"Wow," was all Kopa said. "So, did you ever find out why Mavuto hated Mum so much?" he asked after a few long moments had passed. "Did she tell you?"

"Yeah, she did. Last year, the day she, Frank and Carol left the cottage with our grandmothers. She told me that she hated me because she never got to be a witch like Mum. She asked me for my forgiveness and I gave it to her."

"Just like that?"

I shrugged and said, "I didn't want there to be any more negativity and spite between us, and she had finally confessed as to why she hated me and wanted me to forgive her, so how could I not?"

Kopa bobbed his head slowly, taking all this in. Then he said, "Hey, where is Dokey, anyway? When do I get to meet her?"

Those words cut through me like a knife; I felt like I had just lost Dokey all over again, but I knew that I had to tell Kopa. So I took a deep, ragged breath and told him, "I'm afraid that she died … the night Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I got captured and taken to Malty Manor."

"Oh," said Kopa sadly. "I'm so sorry."

I smiled sadly and nodded. "She was a good friend who did not deserve to die the way she did."

We were both silent for a few moments. Then Kopa said, "When you, Chris, Sian and Chrissie were captured on the same night Dokey died, was that also the night Sian … you know …"

Understanding immediately what he was trying to say, I nodded. Kopa put his head in his hands, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips.

"I knew she was suffering and grieving, but I never imagined it would get that bad," he murmured behind his fingers. "How did it happen?"

"Blame Crighton," I said bitterly.

Kopa's head popped up again, so suddenly I jumped. "Sian's _mother_ did …" he said disbelievingly. "When? How?"

"Well, it's part of a really long story," I said, "but to cut a long story short, Crighton thought that she was saving Sian due to a prophecy the Oracle showed her. Unfortunately she ran out of the room before the Oracle had finished and met Chris, Sian and I in the tent in her phoenix form. Sian was distraught at this point in time and needed her mother desperately, but as she started to move towards her, Crighton did not approach her and moved back, and that's how it all started."

For a few moments, Kopa did not speak. Then he said, "Hang on, where was Chrissie? I thought she was with you, Sian and Chris all the time you were gone?"

Not wanting to tell him anything about Zira's Horcruxes at this point, I just said, "That's part of the reason Sian was so distraught that night."

Kopa looked surprised, then nodded, and I was glad that he didn't push me any further about it. But then I saw his expression turn hard and bitter as he said darkly, "I'm not sure I'll ever forgive Crighton for what she put my Sian through, though."

"Well, you're going to have to try to find a way to forgive her somehow, for Sian's sake at least," I told him gently.

"Why should I?" he asked sharply.

"Because Sian has already forgiven Crighton for what she did and I don't think Sian would be all that happy to know that you resent her for what she's done when Sian has forgiven her for quite a while now. Let's not forget, Crighton did save her."

Seeing how Kopa's expression had not changed once I spoke, I swiftly added, "If it makes you feel any better, Crighton hates herself for what she put Sian through."

I watched, relieved, as his face softened slightly at those words. "Really?"

"Really," I nodded, "and if you ever see her and talk to her about what she did to Sian, you'll see just how much she despises herself for what she did. I doubt she'll ever forgive herself for what happened to Sian."

Kopa did look slightly more pleased at my words, and I think it had something to do with Crighton hating herself, but I did not want to talk about that any more, and I knew what I wanted to ask him, something that had been bugging me at the back of my mind ever since I knew my brother was alive.

"So, Kopa …" I asked quite hesitantly, "do you have any memories of … of our parents from when you were little? Any at all?"

I saw Kopa's face fall as soon as I had asked, and I immediately chastised myself for asking such a thing so soon.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I should have thought … it's too soon, after all …"

"No, no, it's fine," Kopa reassured me. "I knew you had to ask me that at some point. It's just … hard to remember them, you know. I've been away from our family for so long …"

"But you're back now," I said, touching his arm gently, "and that's all that matters, right?"

Kopa attempted to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. I frowned, thought for a second and said quickly, "But surely you must remember something of your time with the,?"

"Some things," he admitted in a low voice. He then squinted his eyes, and I could tell he was remembering something from his early childhood, "Um, let's see … Dad bouncing me on his knee … Mum singing me to sleep each night after Dad finished reading me a bedtime story … I do remember them buying me a toy broomstick, but I wasn't very good at it; almost every corner I kept falling off. And whenever they weren't busy they would often take me on a picnic down by the river."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sarabi, Sarafina, Timon and Pumbaa joined us too. I don't remember much, apart from there being a lot of joy and laughter, the nymphs dancing on the river, the trees talking to each other as birds darted along them. Come to think of it, those were some of the best memories I have from my early childhood."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. Then I asked, "Didn't you want to tell them who you were after you saw them again?"

"Of course I did!" he said at once. "I wanted to tell them every time I saw them, but Zira's presence constantly prevented me from saying anything. I mean, sure, if she had been properly destroyed years ago, then maybe I would have … but how to tell them that I've been alive all those years … that's difficult, alive or dead."

"They'll know by now, though," I reassured him.

"How?"

"Grandfather Mufasa, of course!"

"Ah. Grandfather Mufasa … I forgot about him …"

We fell into a comfortable silence once more and worked again for a while, each of us consumed in our own thoughts. After about half an hour had passed, I ended up saying, "They loved you, you know. Whenever they spoke of you, I could always tell how much they thought the world of you, and how much they missed you."

Kopa looked at me then, his eyes wide, looking at me as though seeing me for the first time. "Thank you," he said soberly. "They loved you too, you know, more than you'll ever know."

"You're just saying that," I said.

"No, it's true," said Kopa, not taking his eyes off me. "I never saw them looking at me with the same amount of love and pride as they looked at you, Kiara. They adored you, Dad more so than Mum, I think."

I blinked, not knowing what to say, for I never knew they thought of me that way. I would have said something, but Kopa sighed heavily and said, "I'm going to miss them. I didn't know them for very long, but I remember all the love they gave me and I'll never forget it. I only wish I could have told them how much I love them and how sorry I am for hiding myself from them all this time."

"I didn't know them well, either," I said, "but I wish I had. I'll miss them, but not as much as I'll miss Grandmother Sarabi. She and Grandmother Sarafina raised me, after all, and I know it sounds harsh but she has been more of a mother to me than our own mother was. She was the one who introduced me to the wizarding world, you know ... a-and knowing that she's not here any more ... along with our parents ... it leads me to ask how much pain and suffering can a heart take before it gives up?"

And just when I thought that I had cried all I could, I somehow managed to spill more tears. Kopa held me to him as I cried my heart out all over again. I stiffened a little at first, unfamiliar with my brother's touch, but once I realised that he needed comfort as much as I did, I began to relax, and for a while we remained that way as brother and sister, reconnecting as we shared our grief. Once I had cried all I could, I leaned off him, feeling slightly better than before."

"Thanks," I croaked.

"Anytime," said Kopa. "And it will get better, you know. In time."

I smiled at him. "With Chris, Sian, Chrissie and you around, I know it will," I told him honestly. Kopa smiled back at me and I knew that we would help each other through the pain.

"So," he said, after a few more minutes of silence had passed between us, "shall we finish up in here, then?"

"Well, the room's not going to finish itself, is it?" I joked lamely. Kopa laughed and together we finished checking the broken items, putting those that were destroyed in boxes that were to be taken down to the dungeons, and the ones that could be saved were left on the desks. Once we had done that, we proceeded to fix the walls and the broken window. We were done in no time at all.

At the precise moment that Kopa and I had finished repairing the room, and not a second later, the door banged open to reveal Chris, Sian and Chrissie, whose worried looks swiftly turned to those of relief, and all three of them were carrying plates of food and flasks of pumpkin juice.

"See," said Sian at once to Chris and Chrissie in a flouncy tone. "See, I told you they'd be up here. There was no need to panic."

"Oh please, Sian, you were just as worried as we were," said Chris hastily. Chrissie nodded at his words. Sian just rolled her eyes.

"Well you only have yourselves to blame for worrying about Kopa and I," I said, keeping my tone non-accusatory. "You were the ones who tricked us in here, after all."

Seeing Chris, Sian and Chrissie's guilty looks, Kopa said, "Please don't be guilty. Tricking Kiara and I to meet here like this has been a blessing in disguise, really. We finally got to talking, and … well, let's just say that we're on better terms now than we were when you last saw us."

"Really?" said Chrissie hopefully. "So there's no more awkwardness between you two any more?"

"None whatsoever," I said, and Chris, Sian and Chrissie all sighed with relief.

"What's all that for?" I then asked, turning my attention to the food in Chris, Sian and Chrissie's arms.

"Oh, this," said Sian quickly, looking down at the food and then back up to Kopa and I. "Well, we were worried when you and Kopa didn't show up for dinner, so Chris, Chrissie and I popped down to the kitchens to find Kleaner and asked her for some food and pumpkin juice to bring to you guys. And as you can see, she and a few other house-elves responded quite enthusiastically."

"Kleaner?" said Kopa suddenly. "Isn't she that unhinged one who said nasty things about us all when we were in Warts House?"

Sian glared at him, as did Chris, Chrissie and I, now that we knew what Kleaner was like, although Chris, Chrissie and I had to avoid having eye contact with each other due to the fact that we were finding it hard not to laugh. I was the first to recover, so I said quickly, "Kopa, Kleaner may have been like that once, but she's changed so much since then. Once you've spoken to her, you'll see."

Kopa still looked doubtful, but when he looked at Sian, who was nodding eagerly, he seemed to concede. Then he asked, "So, shall we eat or what?"

The five of us sat down quickly together and ate, drank and talked freely, more freely than ever before now that all the awkwardness between Kopa and I had completely dissipated, and I felt better than I had in a long time.

The work on the rest of the castle took about another week for everyone involved in the repairing of the castle to do before the staff allowed us to go home. The place that needed the most work on was the library, but that was just a case of sorting through the ruined books, chucking out those that were too badly damaged and writing the titles down so that Sir Pincer could replace them. On the day before we were allowed to go home, Professor Darbus allowed some of us to leave, who were Olivia Cane, Andrew Johnstone, Keith Ball, Alex Spinns, Khan Chan, Sam and Ferdinand (who were going home to their cottage but would come to Dawson Manor in a few days' time), Kat, who was going back to Romania, and Perdy and Geri, who decided to go back to Elizabeth's to collect everyone's belongings and take them to Dawson Manor; Joey decided to go with them too so that he could check up on his family, who had been writing often since he saw them last, as well as checking up on Kion for me, for which I was grateful.

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Kopa, Ben and I spent our last day at Dragon Mort together by the river, the six of us talking and laughing, lapping up the sunshine as we dipped our feet in the river, reminiscing about old times we spent there, and thinking about our futures. It was one of the best and most relaxing times I spent at Dragon Mort, and soon it would all be gone.

When Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida and I woke up the following morning, the six of us set about to pack up the rest of our belongings. Sian, Beth, Kestrel and Merida chatted away animatedly among themselves as they packed, but Chrissie and I were both silent, and once we shared an understanding smile. The reason for this was that as much as we were both looking forward to seeing what our futures were going to be like beyond Dragon Mort, we were also sad because this would be the penultimate time we would be at Dragon Mort together; the last time would be in a few months, a week before the school reopened, as Professor Darbus had invited us back to the press conference she was giving.

The Dragon Mort subs would be leaving shortly after breakfast, so we didn't have long to linger: upon entering the Great Hall I saw that the enchanted ceiling was a bright sky blue with wispy clouds scudding across it, reflecting the sky outside. People were chattering away merrily amongst themselves as we walked to the Lion-Heart table, with some smiling and waving in our direction. I could see that Kopa, Chris and Ben had saved Sian, Chrissie and I seats, so the three of us split from Beth, Kestrel and Merida for the time being and gladly went to sit by our boys.

"Morning," said Kopa jovially, kissing Sian on the cheek as she sat down beside him; Ben and Chrissie were holding hands, both of them wearing goofy grins, and Chris and I shared a chaste yet passionate kiss. I heard a few people groaning around us as we kissed, and someone shouted, "Get a room!", but I didn't care, and neither did Chris.

As I ate, I looked around the Great Hall, taking note of how clean it was, not just of how better it looked now that it was repaired, but also because of all the bodies that had been removed. The innocent who had been killed had been collected by Ministry officials the day after the battle had ended and were taken to the Ministry, where they would be held in a chamber somewhere within it until they were asked for. The Love Destroyers' bodies, on the other hand, were had been taken to Azkaban to be buried there. Zira's body, however, would be kept at the school, the reason for this will become clear to you all later.

Anyway, once breakfast was over, we all made our way to our dormitories to collect our belongings. I savoured every step I took on going up there and on the way back down, knowing that this would be the last time I would have the opportunity to walk the corridors like this. . And just in case any of you are wondering, Sian had given Chris, Chrissie and I all our clothes back the day after the battle with a bag each to put them all in.

Anyway, when Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I reached the Entrance Hall, we saw that all the teachers and ghosts were there, standing (or, in the ghosts case, hovering) from the Great Hall doors to the oak front ones. Even Weeves was there, watching what was happening below with interest.

The four of us looked at each other, not sure of what to make of the scene before us. But Sian, ever the bravest, took a deep breath and descended the stairs first. As she walked, those she passed by bowed and curtsied, Madam Nicola curtseying deeply indeed; even Weeves respected Sian by giving her a long, deep bow of her head. I noticed that Sian looked rather uncomfortable at seeing all these people, both living and dead, respecting her in such a way, and Mina gave Sian one of her famous bone-cracking hugs.

When Sian reached Professor Darbus, they both shared a respectful smile. Then Professor Darbus enveloped Sian in a fierce hug, which took Sian by surprise for a brief second before she returned it, and the two women held each other for a few moments before letting go. They then shared a few words and a laugh before Sian turned to face us, beckoning us to come down.

Chris and Chrissie went next. I saw that they didn't get as much respect as Sian did, but they got some. Weeves didn't bother to bow her head for them, and as Chrissie passed Madam Nicola, she acted as though Chrissie wasn't there. The staff nodded respectfully to them, Mina gave them a bone-cracking hug each, and Professor Darbus shook their hands when they reached her.

Then it was my turn, and as much as I wanted to keep my eyes fixed on the floor, I knew I couldn't, remembering what Sian had said about having a public face, so I forced myself to keep my chin level, looking straight at Chris, Sian and Chrissie, and trying as hard as I could to not notice all the eyes fixed on me, though I think my burning cheeks may have given me away.

Out of my peripheral vision I could see all the teachers bowing respectfully as I passed them, but I still kept my gaze focused directly on Chris, Sian and Chrissie, which gave me the strength to keep going. I flashed a smile in Madam Nicola's direction as I passed her, doing the same with Professors Winds, Spud and Beadu; and as soon as I was in front of Mina, I stopped and allowed her to hug me, pretty sure that I felt a couple of my bones breaking. I then continued on to Chris, Sian and Chrissie, and as soon as I reached them I let out a small puff of airand relaxed my tense shoulders. Chris and Chrissie both beamed at me, and Sian gave me a smile and a look that both clearly said, "needs work". I smiled back at them, relieved that long walk was over, and then I turned to Professor Darbus.

I did not know how she would act when she saw me, but I did not expect her usually stern features to be studying me with so much pride that it took me aback somewhat. I held out my hand for her to shake, but she was having none of that: she took a step towards me and hugged me quite tightly, and just like Sian I did not know what to do with myself for a few seconds before I hugged her back.

"Well done, your Highness," she said, once we had let go of each other.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You are more than welcome to come back and visit us at any time - all of you are," Professor Darbus added to Chris, Sian and Chrissie.

"You can bet on it," I said at once. Chris, Sian and Chrissie all nodded in agreement.

"Good luck for the future, Kiara," said Professor Darbus, and we shook hands.

I nodded and smiled at her, then followed Chris, Sian and Chrissie down the front steps and to the carriages that had come to take us to the Sub Cave. On the way there I kept staring at Dragon Mort as it slowly grew fainter in the distance, and when the carriage had turned a corner I stopped looking. Once my head was back inside Chris grasped my chin gently, turning me to him. I saw him looking at me with a slight crease between his eyes as he smiled at me; I shook my head as I smiled reassuringly at him. The crease between his eyes then vanished as Chris smiled and kissed my hand as I leaned my head against his shoulder.

When the carriage stopped, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I stepped out of it and turned to face the path that led to Dragon Mort because the four of us knew that we wouldn't be standing here together on this spot come September. We then turned to each other, shared a sad smile and, as the carriage trundled back up to the school, we descended the steps into the Sub Cave and boarded the Dawsons' sub along with Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave, Nikita and Lincoln.

On the ride to Dover, everyone was happy and talking, and not a single sad word was said. There would be a time for us all to mention more serious matters, but now was not it. I saw that Sian was more happier and carefree than I had ever seen her, and I knew that had to do with the fact that her family were all safe and back together again. I was content to just lean my head on Chris' shoulder, not saying anything, watching Chrissie, Ben, Merida, Dave, Beth and Max play a game involving Multi-Flavour Fruit-Frogs and All-Flavour Beans.

When we arrived at the Sub House, none of us expected to be bombarded by journalists and photographers waiting for us at the bottom of the ramp with quite a few Aurors standing between them, and as soon as they saw us cameras started flashing. I quickly began to feel uncomfortable, but I knew that the only way we were going to get out of here was through them. So myself and the Dawsons, Kopa and Mr Rickers said our farewells to Nikita and Lincoln, who were smiling at each other shyly but sweetly (much to Kestrel's displeasure), and made our way down the ramp.

As soon as we reached the bottom of the ramp, journalists and photographers alike moved forwards in one big wave but were pushed back slightly by the Aurors, but that did not stop them from trying to break through, shouting questions at us that to my ears sounded like strangled noise as they were all shouting over each other, with the flashes from the cameras blinding my irises. I was shocked by this display, for I had never seen anything like this before in my life, only on television, and it scared me a little. I looked at the others: some were scared, others excited, and a few were unfazed by the whole thing, as though this was just a normal day; one of whom was Sian, who turned to face us and said, "Follow me. Keep your heads held high and say nothing to the reporters. Come on."

And with that, Sian and Kopa led the way around the wall of Aurors and out of the Sub House. The rest of us followed with our heads held high, some smiling, others keeping their faces blank, myself included, and none of us said a word to the onslaught of questions that were being thrown at us. In fact, none of us said anything until we were out of the Sub House completely; I even let out the breath I did not realise I had been holding until that moment.

Once we were all standing in the street, close to the gutter where the slide to the Sub House was, we all seemed to breathe a little easier, relieved that it was over.

"Good thinking on your part, love," said Mr Dawson, kissing Sian's brow.

"They won't stay down there for long, Mr D., sir," came a familiar voice. Looking around, we all saw that it was Joey who had spoken, who was leaning against his car, with the other one parked not that far from the first.

"Right y'are, Joey," said Mr Dawson. "Right, Chrissie, Kiara, Merida, Ben and Dave, you put your things in Joey's car, and Beth, Kestrel, Joe, Jack and Max, you put your things in the other car. Quickly now, before that nosy lot get up here!"

The ten of us did as we were told, and as we put our trunks, bags and cages in the boots, Mr Dawson flicked his wand over Sian and Chris' bags, which vanished; my guess was that they were transported to Dawson Manor. Once we were done, we turned back to Mr Dawson.

"Good. Now, the car you've put your luggage in is the car you'll be driven in, so get in quickly, and myself, Alexander, Kopa, Sian and Chris will see you at the Manor soon."

"Hang on, why do you not have to be driven home, too?" said Chrissie.

"Because, sister, we all have our Apparition licences, whereas the rest of you do not," said Sian, not unkindly.

Chrissie grumbled at that, but Mr Dawson said, "Sian's right. Now, I want no more arguing from any of you. We'll see you all soon, I promise."

Chris came over to me then. He kissed my cheek tenderly and shot me a reassuring smile before walking away slightly. Then he, Sian, Kopa, Mr Dawson and Mr Rickers turned on the spot and Disapparated.

The moment they were gone, Chrissie, Merida, Ben, Dave and I got into Joey's car and Beth, Kestrel, Joe, Jack and Max got into the other car; once we were all inside and safely buckled up, we were off, and not a moment too soon, for the moment we began to drive away, the reporters and photographers showed up.

The ride to Dawson Manor was full of happiness and cheerful conversation, which the other four kept up. I was content to sit quietly, letting their mumbled conversations wash over me, not really thinking about anything, just watching the clouds out the window pass us by as we flew, going as fast as we could to Dawson Manor, which did not take long to get to at all, to my mind at least, for before I knew it we were going down, heading towards a path that would lead to Dawson Manor.

The cheers from the others, signifying their happiness at being close to home after so long away from it, I could not help but smile at, for I was happy to be coming back here too, for I had missed Dawson Manor - not as much as I missed my grandmothers' cottage, but I missed it all the same.

As the path stretched on, I realised that it was no longer protected by the shield as the Love Destroyers had destroyed it, but I was sure that Sian could fix it, and as we approached the gates I could see that someone had left them open for us, allowing us to drive smoothly through towards the great white marble building at the top of the driveway.

As we came to the top of the driveway, I saw four people waiting for us - or, more specifically, me. Four people who I never thought I would ever see again, and as soon as the car stopped I unbuckled my seatbelt as fast as I could and all but jumped out of the car, running as fast as I could, right into the arms of Grandmother Sarafina, who stumbled backwards slightly from the force of my hug, but recovered herself quickly enough.

"Oh, Kiara," said Grandmother Sarafina warmly, once she had regained her balance. "It's so good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, Grandmother," I told her. "It's good to see all of you, in fact, for I never thought I'd be seeing any of you again," I added hastily, looking over Grandmother Sarafina's shoulder at Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Caol, who looked just as pleased to see me as I was to see them.

"And we're glad to see you too, Kiara," said Uncle Frank as I extracted myself from Grandmother Sarafina's arms. He gave me a quick hug and a kiss, as did Aunt Mavuto. Carol just hugged me.

"So what are you all doing here?" I asked, surprised to see them so soon.

"Well, we were told a few weeks back that Zira had been destroyed by a couple of Aurors," Grandmother Sarafina explained, "and they took us back to our old cottage, where we all breathed a little easily knowing that we were no longer afraid of getting attacked every second of the day. Carol has your old room now, which I hope you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind? It's not my home any more," I said kindly without a hint of sadness in my voice, for it was a fact that I had accepted for some time now.

I noticed that the Smiths all looked relieved at my words, Carol especially, as though they were all worried that I would think that they would be wiping away the memory of me by moving in and be outraged by it. I then turned my attention back to Grandmother Sarafina as she continued.

"I'm glad to hear that, Kiara. Now, we were told by a Miss Kara Shackles, who knocked on our door yesterday to see how we were, that you would be coming here today. So, here we are."

I smiled, glad to see them all alive and well, but I felt there was something Grandmother Sarafina was not telling me, so I said, "You're keeping something from me, Grandmother, for I don't believe you coming here to see me is the only reason why you're here. So what's the other reason for this visit? And please don't treat me like a child, for I really don't want there to be any more secrets."

Grandmother Sarafina nodded her head slowly, letting a little puff of air escape her lips as she said, "Well, the other reason we came here was to ask you if the rumours were true … about Sarabi and Simba and … and Nala?"

As soon as she said those words, I felt like I had just lost them all over again. My throat felt as though it had just swollen up, and no matter how hard I breathed or gulped, them lump just would not go away. I could not speak as I felt my eyes beginning to burn with tears, so I just nodded vigorously.

Grandmother Sarafina took me in her arms at once, rubbing my back soothingly. I looked over her shoulder at the Smiths, and through my tear-streaked eyes I saw that Carol and Frank both looked shocked, and Aunt Mavuto was crying, knowing that she would never see her sister alive again.

"I'm s-sorry," I managed to speak at last, looking straight at Aunt Mavuto, begging her with my eyes to see that it was not my fault. "I'm s-so sorry."

Aunt Mavuto came over to me then, as Grandmother Sarafina drew back slightly, looked me firmly in the eye and said, "Don't you dare blame yourself for what happened, Kiara. We know it wasn't your fault."

"Mum's right, Kiara," said Aunt Mavuto gently, "and though I didn't know my sister that well, I knew her enough to know that she would rather have died bravely for the right cause and the right people than to have stood aside and done nothing to help whatsoever."

I understood that my aunt was being kind about Mum, but that did not mean that it didn't hurt, but not wanting to hurt her feelings I said, "I know. So, shall we go in?" I added quickly, not wanting to talk about this subject any longer.

"Oh, I don't - "

"Oh, come on, I'm sure Sian won't mind a few more people at dinner tonight,," said Chrissie, cutting across Aunt Mavuto. "She makes enough as it is. And I'm sure she won't mind giving you all rooms for the night."

I turned around and saw Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all watching us intently, and as they noticed me looking at them they all grinned innocently. I squinted my eyes at them in mock annoyance as Grandmother Sarafina spoke.

"Only if it's no trouble to you?"

"Don't be silly," said Chrissie, waving her hand airily. "Any friend or relative of Kiara's is welcome to stay with us."

Grandmother Sarafina, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol all nodded eagerly then and, after Chrissie had handed me my bag, I led the way into the house.

Once we got into the main part of the house, Beth ran to the spiral staircase and exclaimed loudly, "Oh Dawson Manor, how I've missed thee!" She then proceeded to kiss the top of the banister several times, until -

"When you've finished confessing your love to the banister, sister, would you mind going upstairs to unpack?"

We all laughed at Sian, who had just come around the corner, except for Beth, who blushed deeply as she dragged her trunk upstairs, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.

Kopa then joined us, coming around the same corner as Sian, laughing too at her jibe. Then he stopped laughing as his eyes landed on Grandmother Sarafina, who looked just as surprised to see him as he was to see her. She took a few hesitant steps towards him, the curiosity never leaving her eyes, until he said, "It's me, Grandmother Sarafina. It's Kopa."

Grandmother Sarafina stopped in her tracks at those words, blinking rapidly in surprise, taking him in fully. Then a smile slowly spread across her lips as realisation hit her that this really was Kopa, and she ran to him and embraced him fully.

"You're alive! All my Nala's children are alive!" she cried. Kopa said nothing, just merely holding her until she had her fill. After about a minute, Grandmother Sarafina pulled away slightly, kissed him on the cheek and turned to face the Smiths, as did Kopa.

As soon as his eyes landed on Aunt Mavuto, they narrowed slightly and his mouth became grim and taut as he asked her, quite harshly, "So, you must be Aunt Mavuto?"

Aunt Mavuto's smile faded at his tone. "I take it that - uh - Kiara's told you a fair bit about us, then?" she said nervously.

"You could say that."

Aunt Mavuto nodded not looking the least bit proud of herself as she said earnestly, "Look, I won't deny that over the years we have treated Kiara badly, but ever since Zira came back I have come to realise just how important she is, and not just to me but to the whole world. Not just that, but I have also come to terms with what a fool I have been by taking my jealousy and my anger on my sister out on Kiara when she's done nothing wrong and didn't deserve it, and now I've lost Nala, which means that I have lost the final opportunity to make things right with her! So please, can you find it in your heart to forgive me for everything?"

Kopa looked from Mavuto's eager, desperate face to mine. Meeting his eyes, I saw the question written in them and I nodded, wanting no more disputes to occur in my family from this point on. Kopa nodded once, then focused his attention on Mavuto again and said, "Well, if Kiara can forgive you, then so can I."

Aunt Mavuto sighed, relieved, and ran over to Kopa, embracing him in a fierce bear hug, which Grandmother Sarafina moved out of the way of just in time. Uncle Frank and Carol made their way over to them too, and Kopa shook hands with Uncle Frank and hugged Carol warmly.

Sian, who was standing by Kopa's side, was watching this scene with a big smile on her face, until Grandmother Sarafina asked her, "Sian dear, would it be all right if the four of us could stay for dinner?"

Sian jumped and looked at Grandmother Sarafina blankly for a few seconds before she registered what she was saying and said quickly, "Oh, yes - yes, of course. Joey?" she called to the man who had just come in, who looked at her attentively. "Can you make sure the dining room on the second floor is set up for dinner tonight? We have a few extra guests who'll be staying with us."

"Right away, Miss D.," he said, setting off in the direction of the larger dining room.

As Joey walked away, Chris came towards us, passing him halfway down the corridor, holding a baby boy in his arms.

"Look who wants to say hello to his big sister," he said, and then I looked at the boy properly, and I saw him smiling widely at me squirming in Chris' arms, his short arms reaching out for me. I smiled as soon as I recognised him.

"Kion!" I said eagerly, reaching out for him immediately, taking him from Chris with no complaints; as soon as he was in my arms, Kion wrapped one arm over my shoulder as I nestled him in my arms and he reached up to touch my cheek with his other hand.

I touched the little hand touching my cheek and I told him, tenderly and honestly, "You listen to me, Kion … I know that our parents and Grandmother Sarabi are no longer here, but I promise you that Kopa and I will keep their memories alive for you so that you can know what great people they were and how much they loved you."

"That's right," said Kopa as he walked to us. Taking Kion in his arms he told him, "I promise you now, Kion, that you won't want for nothing, and that all of us here will take care of and protect you." He kissed Kion's head and looked at me. I smiled at him and nodded, and he smiled back at me, and I knew in that moment that we were going to be fine raising him, no matter what obstacles and difficulties lay ahead of us.

"So, this is little baby Kion," Grandmother Sarafina sang, tickling Kion under the chin and making him laugh, which made in turn made us all laugh. Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol came to say hello to the baby too, each of them holding him, and for a time we all relished in the comforting joy only a baby could bring, until Sian - being Sian - had to ruin it.

"All right, then, my dear siblings and Kiara, dinner will be served shortly, so I suggest you all go upstairs and unpack." And when we all started to protest and moan, she added quickly and loudly, "The baby will still be here waiting for you when you're done for it's not like he can move very far right now, can he? Go on."

We all grumbled sulkily as Sian nudged her head towards the stairs, but we all knew that she was right, so we picked up our trunks that Joey had brought in for us and dragged them up the stairs to our rooms.

When I reached my room and shut the door, taking in the familiar surroundings of the golden-painted walls, I realised that I was not yet home. Sure, I was in a place that was _homely_ , but it was not my home. Once again Dawson Manor was my temporary home, but this time, at least, I did not have to worry about if and when I was going to see all the people I love again, and that brought a small, yet comforting smile to my lips, knowing that I was not going to lose anyone else who was close to me for many years to come.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: OK, so here is another long chapter for you. I know that there is not a lot of information involved about capturing the escaped Love Destroyers, but this is how it turned out, and for those of you who were expecting more, I am sorry. Also in this chapter I imagine what the Apparition Test Centre looks like, so I hope that this intrigues you. And you should know that this is my last chapter before Christmas, so to all my readers out there I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I shall see you all in the new year with a new chapter. Until then, enjoy this one.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **The Capturing of Escaped Loved Destroyers**

 **KIARA**

Dinner that night was a cheerful affair, full of raucous talk and laughter. We were all happy to be together again, and safe, in a loving environment, which I think made it an even more cheerful environment to be in. Grandmother Sarafina helped Kion eat which I was grateful for, and I saw Sian finally looking comfortable in the seat that was her mother's at the head of the table, which was something, I could not help but notice, that Mr Dawson smiled proudly at. The only one of us who did not talk or eat that much was Geri, which was understandable, but even though it had been a few weeks since Tanya had died, it was hard for me to picture one without the other, for ever since I had met them they had always been together. I hoped that in time that Geri would find something to make her smile again.

I offered to put Kion to bed that night, which was the least I could do for it gave me a chance to bond with him. The cot had been moved to Chris' room, which I think Sian must have done, knowing how I had been sleeping in Chris' bed (and _just_ sleeping!). I went to bed with Chris that night feeling happier than I had in a long time, and when I fell asleep I dreamed of him.

Unfortunately, though, Kion did not sleep as peacefully as the rest of us did, for he woke up around one o'clock in the morning, wailing madly, waking me instantly. For a moment, I imagined that it was the horrific cries from the battle, that I was back there, but as soon as I inhaled Chris' scent I knew that I was safe, that the battle was over, that nothing could hurt me, and that it was Kion who was crying. So I got out of bed, doing my best not to disturb Chris, and went to check on my little brother.

As soon as I picked him up, I knew at once what the problem was, for he stunk and his nappy felt heavy. Fortunately Sian had also moved the changing station into the room as well, which I was glad of for about a second until I quickly realised that I had no idea how to change a nappy. Just when I was thinking that I really should have asked my parents how to do this stuff when they were still alive, there came a soft business-like knock at the door. So juggling my crying brother in my arms, I went to the door, opened it up and found Sian on the other side.

"Boy, am I glad to see you, S.D.," I whispered, relieved.

"Everything OK with this little guy," said Sian, stroking Kion's cheek affectionately, which did nothing to quell his crying.

"His nappy needs changing, and I have no idea how to do it!" I hissed desperately. "Can you help me?"

I expected Sian to have no idea of what to do and would go and get her father or Grandmother Sarafina to help, so it should have come to no surprise to me when she smiled and said "Of course I'll help you. Come on, give him to me and I'll show you what to do."

I handed him over to her, placing him gently in her arms. She then walked over the threshold to the changing station with him as I closed the door. Sian then quickly lit the lamp by the changing station so that she could see what she was doing and she showed me how to change Kion's nappy, and I have to say that she was a natural at it.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"By watching your father do it a couple of weeks before you came to us last summer," she said. "He was one of the few people I would let in after my mother died. Not only did it calm me, but I figured it would be a pretty useful skill to have in later life. I can also teach you how to warm up his food for his bottle, too, if you want. I don't mind."

As much as I wanted to get myself and Kion back to bed quickly, I knew that I needed all the help I could get, so I said, "That would be great. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," said Sian, smiling slightly. "Tell you what, I'll write it down for you. Where's a quill …"

I held Kion once again as she wrote down what I had to do, smiling at him and bouncing him gently in my arms. Once she had done, Sian put down the quill and looked up at me.

"There. Just follow these instructions and you should be fine, OK?" she said, stroking Kion's cheek affectionately, making him giggle adorably.

I nodded. Sian smiled and made for the door, but I could not let her go just yet. "Sian?"

She turned and looked back at me.

"Yes?"

"You're going to make a great mum someday, you know."

Sian smiled broadly at that. "I know. And you will, too."

"Oh, I don't know about that …" I said, laughing nervously.

"I do," said Sian, "and I think you'll be a great mum too. Just you wait …" She then smiled knowingly, winked and left, closing the door quietly behind her.

Once the door had closed, I took Kion over to a chair by his cot, took his dummy out of his cot and put it in his mouth, which he sucked on immediately and sat down. As I held my baby brother and hummed him a lullaby, I thought about what Sian had said about me being a good mum someday. Could it be? I had never given it any thought before, and Chris and I had never discussed it before … maybe it was something we would have to talk about later - a few years later, at that. But could we be good parents? Could we give a child a good, loving home? And as I looked around, from Chris asleep in bed, to my baby brother nestled in my arms, I saw the answer clearly before me, and I smiled at the thought of what could be.

Seeing that Kion was finally asleep again, I placed him back in his cot, tucked him under his blanket and went back to bed only getting up once more that night to feed and burp him (and yes, I did follow Sian's instructions to the letter; I'd be a fool not to, after all).

Breakfast the next morning was pleasant, with everyone involved in their own discussions. Grandmother Sarafina had taken Kion off mine and Chris' hands that morning once we had woken up and was now feeding him in his high chair. Sian was currently reading the _Squabbler_ ; Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol were talking about how they were going to get home; Mr Rickers and Chris were discussing Quidditch, and Perdy was boring the table to death with her constant blabber about the Ministry, which none of us wanted to listen to but had no choice.

But all the chatter died as Mr Dawson, who had been reading the post brought in by Merida, jumped from his chair, looking worried, staring at an official-looking letter with his eyes widened in shock.

Sian, who had put down the paper once all the noise had stopped, looked down the table at her father and asked, "What is it, Dad? What's happened now?"

Mr Dawson looked slowly down the table at Sian and answered, "It's from Kara. She wants you, Kiara, Chris and Chrissie to come with me to the Ministry this morning as soon as we possibly can."

No one at the table spoke for a moment as we were all in shock at what Mr Dawson had said. I wondered what Kara wanted the four of us for, but then I reasoned with myself that it must be very important.

As though following my thoughts, Chrissie asked, "Why us, Dad? Did she at least say why?"

"No, she did not, love," said Mr Dawson, "but it must be important, or she wouldn't have asked to see you. So eat up quickly and then we'll be on our way. I think side-along Apparition would be best for this," he added thoughtfully.

"Side-along Apparition?" questioned Chrissie. "Kiara and I don't need it, Dad. We've been Apparating just fine over the last few months - "

"But without a license," said Sian firmly, shutting Chrissie up. Then turning to Perdy she added, "Perdy, I have just accepted you back as my cousin. Please don't throw that all away for your other family. Again."

Perdy looked at Sian sternly for a moment, then as the true meaning of her words sank in, Perdy looked down at her plate and nodded solemnly, making Sian nod curtly, satisfied, and turned back to her breakfast, as did the rest of us.

Once we were done, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I stood up, as did Mr Rickers, who said, "I'll come with you. I need to speak to the Ministry myself, see if they want me back."

"Oh, I'll go too," said Perdy, "see if they need my help."

They left the room at once. Mr Dawson stood up then and said to Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I, "Go and get yourselves ready and meet me downstairs when you're done."

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I left the dining room and went to our rooms. On the way there I gasped, shocked that I had only just thought of this, and asked, "Who's going to look after Kion?"

"Don't worry," said Chris, holding my hand, "Kopa or Sarafina will look after him. He's not going to be left alone."

I smiled at Chris, knowing he was right, and I kissed his cheek for his thoughtfulness.

When we reached our rooms, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I put on clean robes and our travelling cloaks before going back downstairs where Mr Dawson was waiting by the door, as were Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa, who was holding Kion.

"He just wanted to see his big sister off," said Kopa, smiling broadly, as Kion held out his arms to me.

"Aww, did he now?" I said, taking him out of Kopa's arms and holding him, kissing him on top of the head. "I'm going to miss you today, yes I will. _Yes I will._ " I giggled at my own silliness and then turned to Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa, who were both grinning at seeing my interaction with Kion.

"I'll look after him while you're gone, don't worry," Grandmother Sarafina said. Then, looking at Kopa, she added, "We both will."

Kopa nodded in agreement, looking affectionately at Kion.

"What? Grandmother, no, I can't let you do that. The cottage - "

"Will do just fine without me for a few days," Grandmother Sarafina cut in over me, taking Kion off my hands as she spoke. "Mavuto, Frank and Carol have my car so they can drive home today, and I can give them a ring to come and get me when you're done. Don't worry about me, Kiara, I'll be fine."

I looked from Grandmother Sarafina to Kion and knew they were right; Kion would be safe while I was gone. So I looked at Grandmother Sarafina and said, "Thank you for doing this." I then kissed her cheek and kissed Kion's head as Sian kissed Kopa on the lips, then she, Chris, Chrissie and I followed Mr Dawson out the door, Sian giving me a knowing, pointed look as she passed me. Chris then looked at me strangely, but I just shook my head, knowing that this was not the time to discuss the idea of us as parents.

The five of us walked down the long driveway together in silence. When we reached the bottom we walked through the spot where the gates should be and stopped once we were past it.

"I hope Joey gets that shield that protects this place back up today. I'll feel better where it is," said Mr Dawson, speaking more to himself than us. Then, turning to Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I he said, "Right, Kiara, you take Chris' arm, and Chrissie, you take Sian's and head to the Ministry's visitors entrance. Do you still remember what buttons to press, Kiara?" I nodded. "Good. I'll see you all inside the Ministry soon." And he turned on the spot and Disapparated.

Once he was gone, I took Chris' arm and Chrissie took Sian's and we turned on the spot; the smell of trees vanished immediately to be replaced by the uncomfortable, compressing darkness, and a moment later we found ourselves standing in a street that contained several rather shabby-looking offices, a pub an overflowing skip and an old red telephone box that was missing several panes of glass, which the four of us headed to at once.

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I hurried inside it. As I was closest to the dial, I pressed the numbers six, two, four, four, two, just as Mr Dawson had done almost three years ago, and a cool female voice sounded inside the telephone box the second the dial had whirred back into place.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Kiara Pride-Lander, Sian Dawson, Chris Rickers and Chrissie Dawson. Ministry visitors."

"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badge with your name on and attach it to the front of your robes."

There was a click and a rattle, and four square silver badges slid out of the metal chute where change usually appeared. I picked them up, looked at each of them and handed each of them to the person whose name matched on the badge. On mine, it was written _Kiara Pride-Lander, Ministry visitor_. Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I pinned our badges to the front of our robes as the female voice spoke again.

"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

The floor of the telephone box shuddered as we sank slowly into the ground, the pavement rising above us until we were covered in darkness, which lasted for about a minute, until a chink of bright white light illuminated my feet and rose up until it reached our faces; Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I had to shield our eyes against it.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day" said the woman's voice.

The door of the telephone box sprang open and Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I stepped out of it and took in our surroundings.

The Ministry had changed yet again since I had last been here, but in a good way this time. I could see at once, even from the end of the hallway, that the Magic is Might statue had been torn down and the bright white light was issuing from a series of lamps running all the way across to the lifts on the other side, and all those wanted posters with my face on them had been torn down too. Around us, Ministry workers were going about their day, ignoring us, talking quietly, until Mr Dawson spotted us and made a beeline straight for us.

"Good, you four are here," he said, sounding relieved. "Come on. Let's go and see what Kara wants with you."

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I followed Mr Dawson through the Atrium. As we walked, many people stopped what they were doing to look at us - well, me - and started talking and moving again once we had passed. I tried as hard as I could to hold my head up high, ignore the stares and to not look down, but I don't think I was doing a very good job. It wasn't until I felt Chris take my hand in his that I was able to look directly ahead of me and breathe a little easier, and I actually smiled, such was the power of his strength.

The five of us got into an empty lift at the far end of the Atrium. Mr Dawson pressed the button for Level One, and the golden grilles shut at once and we were off, stopping at every level for Ministry witches and wizards and memos to get on or off, until, at last, we reached -

"Level One, Minister for Magic and support staff."

On the other side of the golden grilles stood Perdy, her hornrimmed spectacles perched precariously on the bridge of her nose, clearly waiting for us. As soon as she saw us and the grilles had opened she smiled, albeit a little shrewdly, but it was warm at least.

"At last, Kara was starting to worry! She assumed you'd got lost."

I think that this was Perdy's attempt at a joke, for I saw the corners of her mouth twitching a little, but I don't think any of us found it funny. Then again, I don't think Perdy really understood humour, or had a sense of it, anyway.

After a short uncomfortable pause, Mr Dawson said cautiously, "Why are you here, Perdy?"

Looking straight at her uncle, Perdy said, "I've been instructed by the Minister to take you all to her."

Mr Dawson's eyes widened in surprise. " _All_ of us? But I thought - "

"She wants you in the room also, Uncle," said Perdy gently. Then she went on, more briskly, "Now follow me. The Minister is waiting." And she turned on her heel and strode off briskly down the corridor, Mr Dawson, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I following.

We walked along the heavily carpeted corridor, passing gleaming wooden door after gleaming wooden door, passing the place where the Ministry workers had once sat making those hideous pamphlets, but it was an empty space now with scraps of parchment and broken pamphlet pieces strewn all over the floor. I felt a rush of relief go through my at seeing the place like that, but I quickly turned my attention back to the path I was following.

We walked on for several more minutes meeting no one, hearing nothing, and just when I was beginning to wonder how much longer we had to go, Perdy turned a final corner leading us down another long corridor that was lined, not with doors but with portraits of previous Ministers for Magic, each in a gilded frame on either side of a flaming torch, and all of them looked at us with great interest as we passed. The door at the end of the corridor was a gleaming black one with a plaque on the centre of it, which read _Kara Shackles - Minister for Magic_. Perdy knocked on the door twice in a very businesslike manner, and after being told to come in, she turned the handle and pushed it open.

The Minister's office was oval and large. The walls were painted light green and dark purple stripes and the floor was carpeted with the same heavy carpet as the corridors beyond. Many more portraits of previous Ministers were hung here too, as well as a particularly ugly painting that was hung over the mantelpiece that was rather out of place with the rest of the room of a froglike little man wearing a long silver wig standing in front of a stretch of muddy-brown canvas. There were large underground windows at the far end of the office, through which sunlight was streaming brightly. These windows were behind an ebony desk which Kara was suddenly sat behind, and next to it stood Mr Rickers and Harry Potter, who were conversing in low voices. Upon our arrival, Kara looked at us and smiled.

"Ah, good, you're all here," said Kara in her soft, slow voice, as Perdy shut the door and went to stand next to Mr Rickers. Kara then stood up and continued, "Nikita, her grandfather and I were waiting for you, as well as the others, and now that everyone's here we can begin."

As she spoke, Mr Goldberg and Nikita, whom I had not noticed until Kara had mentioned their names, turned to face Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I and came over to us. It was nice to see Nikita again, but I still did not get why all of us had to be here.

"And why are we all here?" I asked.

"I'll get to that shortly, Kiara - I can call you Kiara, right?" said Kara quickly.

"Of course you may," I quickly reassured her.

"Oh, good," said Kara, sounding relieved. Then, looking quite serious again, she went on, "Now then, I'd just like to explain a few things before I get to the heart of this meeting.

"Miss Fang here," she continued, indicating Perdy, "will continue to work as my assistant, but for now she will be closely monitored by me until I know that I have her trust. And if she dares to make one wrong move then I will make sure that she will not have any sort of position within the Ministry, of that she can be sure of."

Perdy blanched at hearing these words and her hands shook so violently that she had to hold them tightly. Kara proceeded without giving Perdy a second glance.

"Mr Rickers here we have welcomed back with open arms, understanding why he had been in hiding all these years and I have therefore decided to reinstate him as an Auror, knowing that he will do just fine under Mr Potter's good hands."

Mr Rickers nodded at Kara in thanks as she went on.

"Mr Potter has agreed to take on you, Kiara, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and Nikita under his wing in the Auror department to capture the other Love Destroyers who are hiding from us so that they can be brought in to face justice, and Sian, you will be working directly beside him for this assignment."

The rest of us gasped at this news, surprised, for none of us had expected Kara to say such a thing. I looked at Sian, who was blinking rapidly, as though she was trying to wrap her head around what had just happened, and when she finally found her voice she stammered, "M-m-me, Ma'am? A-are you sure?"

"First of all, when we're like this, you may call me Kara, is that clear?" Kara asked firmly. Sian nodded and Kara smiled. "Good. Now, in answer to your question, Sian, yes I am sure. I have been to Global Justice and have had a long conversation with Doctor Justice about you, after which she showed me your file. Very impressive, I might add, and with your permission I would like to show them to Harry here so that he can see just how good you are."

Sian beamed with pride at Kara's compliment and nodded. Kara smiled, satisfied, and said, "Good. I shall contact Doctor Justice for the file later, then. And don't worry," she added at Sian's anxious look, "I'll make sure that your file will not be seen by any bugs or unwanted eyes, have no fear."

Sian breathed a small sigh of relief and smiled at Kara with gratitude. Wanting to know more about Sian's work at Global Justice, I asked her, "Why is your file so important, Sian?"

Sian turned to me and said, "It's because I have a perfect case record, Kiara, and there are not many agents at Global Justice who have those."

I stared at Sian for a few moments, amazed at her achievements, then said, "That's awesome, Sian! Good on you! Do you know the number of assignments you have completed perfectly over the years?"

"Oh, too many to keep track of, but I'm sure Global Justice has the number somewhere."

"Wow," I breathed, awestruck, and that's when I realised not only how good she was, but also just how much power she had over most of the world too.

"Moving on," said Kara quite loudly, and the room fell silent once more as every eye was once again on her, "this is the assignment we want you to help us with. So what say all of you? Will you do your duty to your country and your Ministry?"

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I all looked at each other, smiling and nodding, silently agreeing with each other for we had to help. After everything we had been through to stop Zira, how could we not help the Ministry find and capture the other Love Destroyers who were currently escaping justice? So the five of us looked back at Kara quickly and Chrissie said, "Where do we sign up?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on there, missy!" said Sian quickly, ruining the moment and making Chris, Chrissie, Nikita and I groan. "Don't get me wrong, I love your enthusiasm, and I'm glad to see you wanting to help the Ministry, Chrissie, but there is something that you are obviously forgetting …"

"And what's that, then?" she snapped.

"The fact that you haven't passed your Apparition test yet," Sian reminded her, "not to mention Kiara hasn't taken hers yet, and I'm pretty sure Nikita hasn't, either."

"Oh," said Chrissie, her eyes downcast. Nikita and I looked at each other, sharing the same look of sadness. I could not believe that in the midst of all our excitement at helping the Ministry catch the escaped Love Destroyers that Chrissie, Nikita and I had forgotten all about not having our Apparition licenses, and apparently we were not the only ones who had forgotten this small, yet significant, detail.

"Thank you for bringing that up, Sian," said Kara, "for that had completely slipped my mind." Turning to Chrissie, Nikita and I she went on, "It is true you need an Apparition license to travel, for it is indeed the only way to get here apart from using the Floo Network. However, the Ministry and I have agreed that, as you three each had a hand in Zira's downfall, that the Ministry will pay for your tests."

Chrissie, Nikita and I looked at each other in surprised delight, for after everything we had gone through with the Ministry we never expected them to treat us this kindly.

"Do you really mean that, Kara?" said Sian, who looked just as surprised as we felt, along with Chris and everyone else in the room.

"Absolutely," said Kara, smiling warmly. "After everything the Ministry has put you through it seems only fair that we give something back after every cruel word and death that has happened over the past few years that never shave been heard or done. Now, am I right in thinking, Kiara, that you, Chrissie and Nikita have all taken the lessons on how to Apparate in the Great Hall at Dragon Mort? You did? Good. And Sian, you and Chris have both passed your Apparition tests, haven't you? Excellent. Right then, in that case, Matt, why don't you take Chris and Sian down to the Auror Office and fill out the necessary paperwork for them, and I'll take Kiara, Chrissie and Nikita down to Level Six so that they can take their tests. Oh, and Harry, Alexander, why don't you come with us to the Auror Office, so that Alexander can get settked in and you, Harry, can fill him in on what you are currently doing. Come on."

So Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Harry, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I followed Kara out of her office and all the way along the long corridors to the place where the lifts were, and as we walked back we came into contact with no one.

Kara called for a lift and one came within a few minutes. The nine of us got into it and Kara pressed buttons two and six. The golden grilles closed and the lift descended. On the second level, the golden grilles opened and Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Harry, Chris and Sian all got out.

"See you in a bit," Chris whispered to Chrissie, Nikita and I. We nodded as the golden grilles shut and descended again.

As we descended to Level Six, a few memos and wizards came in, with the wizards saying a brief "Good morning, Minister," accompanied by a few curious glances at Chrissie, Nikita and I before looking at the golden grilles as we went down the levels.

Upon reaching Level Six, once the golden grilles had opened again Chrissie, Nikita and I followed Kara along a brightly coloured corridor, and as we walked along there were brooms zooming along with no one riding them with wizards chasing after them, yelling a harried, "Morning, Minister!" as they ran, and two witches, one in bright blue robes, the other in red, were carrying a number of ordinary objects, including a flat tyre and an old water bottle, and every so often these objects would emit bright blue sparks, and I knew that these must be old Portkeys. The two women holding them were thoroughly engrossed in a conversation, but they both gave a quick, civil nod to Kara, who nodded back, before moving on.

We kept walking for quite some time until, turning a final corner, we came to a door with a plaque that read _Apparition Test Centre_. Kara pushed it open and we found ourselves in a room that had a big desk of mahogany, behind which witches and wizards were sat, some of whom were attending clients. Behind the desk were a number of large black doors, where the Apparition instructors and those hoping to pass their tests were going in or leaving, and those that were leaving were either following their instructors to be tested, or else were leaving with either a little card in their hand and a smile on their face, or else left with nothing in their hands with their shoulders slumped and a very unhappy expression on their faces.

Kara stopped and looked around for a free instructor. I saw her looking from wizard to wizard, then her eyes widened and she smiled slightly as she said to Chrissie, Nikita and I, "Come on, girls," and we followed her to a witch sat behind the desk, who had a round, kind face, bright brown eyes, round spectacles and short brown hair that reached just above her shoulders and framed her face nicely. She was currently involved in writing something out, not knowing Kara was there until she said, "Judith?"

At once, Judith's head popped up and, seeing who it was, her cheeks reddened and she said, clearly flustered, as she tried to give a breezy smile that wavered slightly, "Oh, it's - it's you, Minister! Good morning! W-what can I do for you, Ma'am?"

"Good morning, Judith. I have here Nikita Bore, Christina Dawson and Kiara Pride-Lander, who are all here to take their Apparition tests. I am sure you remember the special circumstances your superior mentioned this morning?"

At the mention of my name, Judith's eyes widened and she looked at me rather curiously, her eyes going straight to my scar, but once she had taken in what Kara had said she turned back to her and answered, "Hmm? Oh, yes, yes of course, Minister! Don't worry, I can take it from here."

"Good," said Kara. Then turning back to Chrissie, Nikita and I she said, "Girls, this is Judith Lambert, and I shall leave her in your capable hands. Good luck. Oh, and once you're finished here, come back to my office and once I know how well you did we'll move on to the next step, all right?"

Chrissie, Nikita and I nodded. Kara smiled and left us with Judith who stood up and said, "If you'd like to come around the desk and follow me, girls."

Chrissie, Nikita and I did as she asked and we followed Judith to the black heavy door directly ahead of us. She pushed it open and we stepped inside.

The room was large and empty, with no windows and the floor had no carpet, but was instead covered with wood panels, and was lit by flaming hot torches around the room; the only other thing that was lit in this room was the podium for the Apparition instructor to stand on, as well as three other podiums that were for Chrissie, Nikita and myself, which we went to at once as Judith shut the door. I could see everything clearly, but somehow I knew that I would not be able to see everything clearly for long. Looking at my right I could see that Chrissie and Nikita were both looking as nervous and anxious as I currently felt.

I turned my attention back to Judith as she walked around the room and climbed on to the podium and began to speak.

"Good day, you three. As the Minister mentioned my name is Judith Lambert and I shall be your Apparition Instructor for today.

"Now, did the three of you do the Apparition practices at Dragon Mort, and were you all successful?"

"Yes," Chrissie, Nikita and I answered.

"Good," said Judith, smiling. "Then this shouldn't be a problem. But before we begin I have to tell you that this room is one of many practice rooms that we use to train people before they can get the feel of Apparition and we can help them improve. We do this quite a few times with witches and wizards over twelve one hour sessions before we decide if they are ready to take the test, but we can provide more weeks if necessary if we believe the witch or wizard in question is in need of more preparation time, which I doubt any of you will need. These rooms are the only ones in the Ministry that do not have any Anti-Apparition Charms on them. Furthermore, we dim the lights before people begin practicing Apparition so that they are not distracted and can focus solely on Apparating.

"Now, have any of you here dealt with Splinching before?"

"Yes," Chrissie and Nikita answered.

"Will you hold that against us during our tests?" Chrissie asked nervously.

"No," said Judith, shaking her head slightly. "As long as you relax and remain focused, you should be fine during the actual test."

I saw that Chrissie and Nikita both looked relieved at these words, but they quickly focused their attention back on Judith again as she continued to speak.

"Now, are you all familiar with Apparating outdoors? And have you all ever done any Side-Along Apparition before? You have? Great. OK, so there won't be any problems with that," she said, making a note on her clipboard. "OK then. So, this is what's going to happen. In a few moments I am going to dim the lights so that you don't get distracted when Apparating, and I'm going to magic up a golden hoop for you to Apparate into. Once each of you has done that I will brighten the room again and we will go on from there. Everyone got that? Good. Now then …"

Judith then pulled out her wand and flicked it, and at once all the lamps dimmed considerably so that we were in near darkness; it was so dense that I could not see Chrissie or Nikita, and Judith's cheeks and eyes were covered by shadow, leaving only her forehead and mouth illuminated, which I found to be quite creepy, but I ignored this as three golden hoops appeared at mine, Chrissie's and Nikita's feet, big enough for us to stand in, looking like golden halos in the dim light.

"Now, one by one you will each Apparate into your hoop" said Judith. "If you Apparate into another's, we will start again and will carry on until each of you has Apparated into the correct hoop. Miss - your Highness, sorry - we will start with you. Take your time, and once you are ready, Apparate!"

No one else spoke once Judith had stopped talking. I looked down at my hoop and took a deep, calming breath. Then I turned on the spot and, concentrating with all my might on the hoop in front of me, I turned into the compressing darkness, and a second later I found myself standing in the middle of a hoop. I hoped that it was my hoop I had Apparated into and not someone else's. Opening my eyes, I looked to my right and saw that both of the other hoops were vacant of anyone in them, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief, knowing that I had Apparated into the right hoop after all. I then waited nervously to see how Chrissie and Nikita did.

Chrissie went next, then Nikita, and once Nikita had Apparated the lights became bright again. I had to shield my eyes against the brightness for a few moments, but once my eyes had adjusted I looked right again and saw that Chrissie and Nikita had both Apparated into their own hoops without Splinching, and neither had I. Chrissie, Nikita and I were grinning at each other, pleased that we had passed the first step, and looking at Judith I could see that she was impressed with our Apparition practice (and to be honest I was glad to see al of her features again, though I would never admit it to anyone).

"Well done, girls!" she said, nodding fervently. "Very good job, indeed! Well, seeing as you all managed to Apparate into the correct hoops and there was no Splinching, I think you are all ready for the test. So shall we progress to the test, or would you like to practice a little longer?"

Looking at Chrissie and Nikita, I saw in their eyes a determination to just get on with it, so I turned back to Judith and said, "I think we're ready to take the test, Judith."

Judith smiled and nodded. She then raised her wand and waved it, instantly vanishing the golden hoops. She then walked down from her platform and strode towards us, situating herself in the middle. Immediately understanding what was happening, I clutched her right arm and Chrissie and Nikita grabbed on to her left, and together the four of us turned into the compressing darkness, arriving a second later outside the Ministry's visitor's entrance.

Chrissie, Nikita and I let go of Judith's arms and stood in a line in front of her. She arranged her glasses neatly on the bridge of her nose then looked at us seriously as she told us what was to happen next.

"Now, I am going to give each of you a location which you have to Apparate straight to. You must be precise and land exactly where I instructed you to go. If any of you land anywhere else or Splinch yourselves, it will result in an immediate disqualification, meaning you will not get your license today and you will have to take it again tomorrow. But take your times, relax and try not to be too intimidated by my warnings and you should all be fine, OK?"

Chrissie, Nikita and I nodded. I have to admit that now that the moment had come I was feeling pretty nervous, but I would try my best to not let my nerves get the better of me. I had to pass.

"Good," said Judith. "All right, then. We'll go in alphabetical order, I think. So whenever you're ready, Miss Bore, I want you to Apparate to - " she whispered the location in Nikita's ear. Nikita looked nervous yet determined as she nodded at Judith's words. When she stepped back, Nikita took a couple of deep breaths and, without looking at Chrissie and I, turned on the spot and Disapparated, Judith following a couple of seconds later.

Chrissie and I did not have to wait long for Judith to come back, for after a couple of minutes she reappeared in front of us without Nikita. Before either myself or Chrissie could ask where Nikita was, Judith marched to Chrissie and whispered the location to which she was to Apparate to. A look of grim determination came over Chrissie as she turned on the spot and vanished, no part of her left behind this time, Judith following her after a couple of seconds.

Just like before, Judith came back to where I was still standing after about a minute or two, with Chrissie and Nikita nowhere to be seen. I wanted to ask where they were, but somehow I knew that she would not tell me if I asked, so I remained quiet, hoping that she would tell me where they were soon enough.

"All right, then, your Highness," said Judith, neatly adjusting her glasses yet again, "just to let you know your friends are safe, never fear, and you will see them as soon as your test is done. Are you ready?"

"Yes," I answered without any hesitation.

"Good. So, the place I want you to Apparate to is the front door of your grandmothers' old cottage. So take your time, relax, and when you're ready, go for it."

She smiled at me reassuringly and I shot her a small smile in return. I then closed my eyes and focused with all my might on remembering every detail of the front door of my old home. Then, smiling slightly at what I was about to go back to, I turned into the compressing darkness once more.

A second later I knew it had worked, for gone were the gentle humming sounds of cars driving in the distance. Now I could hear the sound or birdsong sweetening the air as a gentle breeze rushed through my hair, the clean smell of grass tickling my nostrils. Opening my eyes, I saw that I had done it, that I had Apparated to my old home, and upon further inspection, I saw that I had not Splinched myself, which only made my smile broaden.

I then heard a loud _crack_ beside me and I knew that it was Judith who had come to see how I did. Looking at her, I saw that she was rather pleased with how I did.

"Well done, your Highness," she said, nodding slightly. "Very well done indeed. And I must say I have never seen anyone looking as relaxed as you did when taking the test."

I chuckled at this and said, "I think it was because I knew that I was Apparating to a familiar place, and to be honest I never thought that I would be coming back here again."

Judith looked impressed as she said, "Well, this is most certainly a useful tactic to use in the future. Do you know, I have to reassure people who are nervous afterwards about how well they've done, your Highness, but I don't think I have to do that with you."

She laughed and so did I, before she pulled out her wand and tapped a little card on top of her clipboard as she went on, "Anyway, here is your license, your Highness. You passed with flying colours. Congratulations."

"Thank you," I said, beaming with pride as I took my license from her.

"Now, let me take you to your friends and you can tell them how well you've done."

Judith held out her left arm and I took it, letting her do all the work, and after a few seconds of suffocating darkness we were back in the Apparition training room, where Chrissie and Nikita were talking excitedly. Hearing us come in, they turned around, looking happy, and before I could say a word about how they had done, they answered for me.

"I passed!" said Nikita excitedly.

"So did I!" said Chrissie, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Me too!" I said, and that was all it took for Chrissie and Nikita to run to me and hug me, Judith letting go of my arm and taking a step back so as to allow us a moment to rejoice in our accomplishments. Once our excitement had dialled down slightly, Judith thought it was safe to speak again.

"Yes, you have all passed with flying colours, girls. Congratulations to the three of you. Now, if you will follow me, I will take you back to the lifts and you can go and tell the Minister the good news."

So Chrissie, Nikita and I followed Judith out of the practice chamber, out of the Apparition Test Centre and all the way back through Level Six until we got to the lifts. We then bid goodbye to Judith and got into a lift where I pressed the button for Level One and we set off at once.

Chrissie, Nikita and I ignored everyone who came in and out of the lift, ignoring all the funny looks they kept on shooting us, so jubilant were we at finally passing our Apparition tests; not even Perdy's stern demeanour could bring us down once we reached Level One. The three of us didn't even know we had reached Level One until the golden grilles slid open and we found Perdy waiting for us once more.

"Well, you three look happy," said Perdy, not unkindly.

"Oh, we are!" I said. "We've all been given really good news - "

"And disturbing half the Ministry judging by the noises of jubilation I could hear from the three of you just now," said Perdy sternly, flashing a rather stern eye at us, sobering Chrissie, Nikita and I immediately, and I was shockingly reminded of a look that Professor Darbus used to give us when we had done something wrong. Then Perdy's lips twitched slightly and she said in a much softer tone, "Congratulations on passing your tests, though. You should all be proud of yourselves. Now come," she added pompously, "the Minister is waiting for you, yet again."

And with that, Perdy turned sharply on her heel and marched off down the corridor. Chrissie, Nikita and I looked at each other and stifled our laughter as we hurried to catch Perdy up.

When we got to the Minister's office, Perdy knocked and was told to enter, and the four of us saw Kara sitting behind her desk, with Harry Potter, Mr Rickers and Mr Dawson standing on the right and Mr Goldberg, Sian and Chris were sat in front of it on chairs that had obviously been magicked there, the seven of them chattering amicably amongst themselves. Chris, I noticed, was tapping his foot impatiently on the ground and kept glancing over his shoulder nervously, and as soon as he saw me, before anyone else did, he ran to me quickly and enveloped me in his arms, holding me tight. Surprised by his actions, I just held him, for I could not think of what else to do. As soon as everyone else noticed our arrival, however, the talk immediately stopped and they all turned to look at us.

"So," said Kara, standing up and walking around her desk, "how did it go?"

Chrissie, Nikita and I looked at each other, barely able to contain our excitement, as we looked at the others and said together, "We passed!"

At that, Kara came forward and wrung each of our hands, as Mr Rickers shook each of our hands in turn after her; Mr Goldberg hugged Nikita and Mr Dawson hugged Chrissie, saying, "I knew you could do it!" as he did. Chris hugged me and planted a kiss on my forehead, telling me that he had complete faith in me as well; Sian hugged Chrissie tightly and said, "Second time lucky, sister, just like I told you." Chrissie just rolled her eyes at this but accepted the hug anyway, and Harry just shook hands with each of us, giving us a small "Well done" as he shook them.

"Well," said Kara once all the congratulations had finished, clapping her hands briskly, "it's a good thing you three passed today."

"Really? How so?" I asked.

"Well, Kiara, Harry and Matt here had already filled out the paperwork for you, Chrissie and Nikita to join us," said Kara, pointing to the forms on the desk. "Everything is legitimate, don't worry; I personally checked them earlier this morning before either Harry or Matt could. All we need you three to do is sign your names before we move on."

Chrissie, Nikita and I, feeling reassured by these words and knowing that we could trust Kara, approached the desk and signed our forms. Once done, Kara picked them up and handed them to Harry.

"Good," she said, "and now that's out of the way I can tell you that this is a temporary contract, and once your work with us is done we will make sure that the contract is terminated and have you all sign again on the dotted line next to the completion date. If, however, you do want to continue working for us once this is over, then we will still get you to sign the completion date and get you to fill in a form that says that you are a full-time Ministry employee.

"But just because you are temporary employees does not mean that you will not be getting paid. The five of you will be receiving three Galleons, twelve Sickles and six Knuts per hour, which I know does not seem like much right now but it will seem like a lot in the long run. After all, you are helping us to capture those Love Destroyers out there who are hiding from us, so chances are that you will be working very long hours, but don't worry we will let you go home and get some rest, for we are not that cruel. Does all of this sound good to you so far?"

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I all nodded our heads.

"Good," said Kara, smiling proudly at our eagerness to get stuck in, "then I'll let Harry tell you what we've been doing and our plans to get the Love Destroyers avoiding capture. Harry, over to you."

"Thank you, Kara," said Harry, stepping forwards and focusing on the five of us as he went on. "Now, as you know, we have already captured a few of the Love Destroyers who narrowly avoided our clutches once the war had ended, and they are currently being held in custody in Azkaban awaiting trial. And the Ministry workers who had joined Zira's side of their own free will have been immediately removed from their jobs and are facing up to five years in Azkaban - the ones that remained here when the battle happened, anyway. The ones who have been on our side throughout, however, have been pardoned and have all had to swear their allegiance to the Ministry in front of the Minister and the Wizengamot. We had to use Veritaserum on almost everyone here to get them to talk, but it was worth it."

"What about all those people who were all under the Imperius Curse?" asked Chrissie.

"We have been calling them in to see what they know and if they remember anything at all," said Harry. "Of course, none of them can remember a thing from their last coherent thought until the curse was lifted, but each of those poor souls have apologised to us and has been given a full pardon, and those people are either settling back into their old positions here at the Ministry, or else are being given jobs here in the Ministry, replacing those who are no longer trustworthy."

"So what are you doing to catch the rest of the Love Destroyers who are still out there?" Sian asked.

"The Aurors and I are doing everything in our power to get them," Harry continued. "We're working round the clock to see if we can get anywhere. We've already captured the Maltys - got them the moment they got off the subs. Naturally, we have searched all known Love Destroyer houses and confiscated all Dark objects there, as well as searching through their vaults at Fauntrotts, but so far we hav only captured three Love Destroyers who were stupid enough to be found hiding in their basements or attics ..."

"But they are not the only Love Destroyers who have been found," said Kara, smiling at Sian.

Sian stared at her, confused.

"What do you mean, Kara?"

Kara's smile widened as she continued, "You see, Sian, the moment Zira was killed I sent word to every Ministry of Magic in the world, telling them what had happened and to look out for any well-known Love Destroyers who were now on the run, sending them their pictures and names so that they knew who to look for. Many were captured upon crossing the borders into other countries, but some were clever than most, this I knew from the updates I was getting, but this still wasn't good enough for me. So therefore I decided to get some help.

"Knowing that you are now the Girl Who Saves the World, Sian, I decided to get in touch with Global Justice, as you already know, to see if they could help us. So I wrote to Doctor Justice, telling her who I was, the situation we found ourselves in and how I knew you and the help I needed. She was quick to respond, telling me that she would help in any way she could and that she knew of the perfect team who could help us … the very team you had helped put together, in fact …" she added, smiling knowingly at Sian.

Sian looked at Kara, clearly confused as she thought for a few moments; I could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to remember something, until her eyes widened in recognition and she asked Kara, "You're talking about the G.H.O.S.T. Squad, aren't you?"

"The very same," said Kara. Sian nodded thoughtfully.

"Er - the G.H.O.S.T Squad?" I asked, not understanding what they were talking about.

"The General Homeland Operative Support Team," Sian explained. "You see, Kiara, a few years ago Global Justice needed to put a dedicated team together of people who would study odd and mysterious situations and alert the top agents of these strange occurrences at once. Doctor Justice chose me to pick the team and, after going over the records of all the current agents, I chose the people who I thought would be best to work in the department, and they were put to work at once; I also made Wade head of the department, as he had the most experience with technology, and he's also one of the most loyal people I know."

"Wow. So who works there - the type of people, I mean? And not just in the G.H.O.S.T. Squad," I hastened to add.

"If you must know, Kiara, Global Justice has both Muggles and wizards working for them."

"Really? But do Muggles not know - ?"

"Of course they do! Global Justice is, I think, the only building in the world where magic can be used in front of Muggles without there being any consequences. In fact, each Muggle that enters for an assessment is sat in a room with a few witches and wizards and a couple of people from MACUSA - the American Ministry of Magic - to see if they can cope with it. Thoe who don't get their memories modified and are sent on their way. Those who can handle the magic , however, are sworn to secrecy about it, and they are not allowed to tell anyone about any magic they've seen. If Global Justice gets word that a Muggle working for them has told one of their friends outside work that they have seen magic, then they are immediately dismissed from their post, have all their memories of working for Global Justice modified and fake memories planted and will live as normal a life as possible."

I listened to this, mesmerised that Muggles who weren't married to witches and wizards knew about magic and were forced to keep it secret, and shocked that Global Justice was so harsh and strict about their rules on Muggles finding out about magic. I was then drawn back to the present by Sian, who said to Kara, "You have my permission to use the G.H.O.S.T Squad, Kara."

"Thank you for saying that, Sian," said Kara, "but you needn't have …"

"Why not?"

"Because they have been helping the Ministry already," said Kara gently.

Sian looked both shocked and outraged by this news.

"They have? But who allowed you? And why wasn't I told?" Sian demanded.

"I understand your feelings, Sian," said Kara softly, "and you have every right to be angry with me for not telling you, but Doctor Justice and I wanted it to be a surprise for you, because she was the one who allowed me to use the G.H.O.S.T. Squad, knowing that it was for a good cause and that you would understand that, and the reason we kept it secret from you was because of all the Love Destroyers who have been captured due to the G.H.O.S.T. Squad's help."

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I all looked at each other, stunned by this information, and shocked that it had been kept from us and the rest of the wizarding world. Sian was the first to break the silence.

"Why? Why did you keep this from us? And how many Love Destroyers have been captured?"

"Along with Ministry employees, almost all of them," said Harry, "due to the G.H.O.S.T. Squad, who searched for any strange and unfamiliar sightings all over the world with the help of the advanced technology they have that allowed them to track those bastards down, and once they had a rough idea of where they were, they located the correct Ministry and helped them track those sneaky sons of bitches down, where they captured and had their wands destroyed and were held until the Minister of whatever country they were found in contacted Kara."

"Once I got word of the Love Destroyers who had been captured," Kara continued, "I immediately sent some of my best Aurors to whatever country they had to go to so that they could bring those Love Destroyers to Azkaban to await trial, but we have kept this news from the wizarding world because you put the G.H.O.S.T Squad together, Sian, and with your permission I would like to give your team the credit they deserve by doing a service to the wizarding world, and not just those Ministries who helped them."

"So …" said Sian slowly, "you want my permission to get the G.H.O.S.T. Squad published, not just because its good for the people and a good cause, but because it will also help to give Muggles credit for their technology, along with giving the people hope that they have not had in a very long time because my name will be next to theirs?"

"Precisely," said Kara, nodding. "So will you allow this to happen, Sian? Will you allow the _Squabbler_ and the _Prophet_ to publish what the G.H.O.S.T Squad has been doing to help the wizarding world?"

Sian thought about Kara's words for a moment, then she said, looking Kara firmly in the eye, "I will, but on one condition …"

"And what's that?" said Kara, looking slightly nervous by Sian's tone.

"I want to see a copy of the article before its published, making sure that there are no lies, made-up rumours and misprinted names before it gets released to the world. Are you all right with that?"

Kara smiled in relief and happiness. "That can be arranged, Sian."

"Then you have my permission, Kara," said Sian, smiling back at Kara, and both women nodded in understanding.

"Well, now that's all sorted out," I said, wanting to get back on track, "tell us, Kara, why do you need our help to catch the other Love Destroyers who are still out there when the G.H.O.S.T. Squad is doing a brilliant job of capturing them as it is?"

"Because, Kiara, Global Justice wants to work with you, the Girl Who Lived, to bring them in, knowing that you took Zira down … unless you want to see them get away with all the terrible things they did?" Harry added.

"Of course I don't!" I added defensively.

"Good. Then you will help us, Kiara, not just because you will feel as though you have let yourself and everyone who ever depended on you and looked to you for hope down if you don't, but also because you know in your heart that it's the right thing to do and that you will never stop until every last Love Destroyer is caught."

I nodded at that, knowing that he was right. Then I said, "All right, I agree with you there. But why do Global Justice need our help when they're doing a pretty good job of finding and capturing the other Love Destroyers on their own?"

"Well it's like I said," said Harry, "they want to work with you and they are quite stuck. There are quite a few leads, but nothing significant as to where they could be. Wade is not confident that the Love Destroyers could be where he thinks they are, and he needs help. Well, Global Justice all need help, but they need it from you, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and Nikita more after hearing what we told them about you and how you helped to destroy Zira. Needless to say they're impressed with all your work and are eager to meet with and work with you. Question is, will you?"

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I all looked at each other, all of us smiling and sharing the same look of determination as we all nodded in agreement. We all then turned back to face Kara and I asked her, "When do we start?"

"Right now," said Kara, looking relieved and pleased at our choice. "The Ministry already has all of your travel documentation sorted and you will be heading to the Global Justice Headquarters in America in about five minutes to meet the G.H.O.S.T. Squad and Doctor Justice, and then you will be sent on your way to wherever they need you where you will be split into teams and will capture the Love Destroyers and bring them to Azkaban. So good luck, and I hope to hear good things when I get posted next."

And so that was it: Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I got our travel documentation and went to Global Justice. Once there, we met with Doctor Justice, who was a tall woman with auburn shoulder length hair, bright green eyes and an eyepatch covering her right eye, along with a number of agents who worked for Global Justice, and Wade and members of the G.H.O.S.T. Squad. Before we left for our missions, I got to see Sian interacting with "her boys" as she preferred to call those agents, and I could clearly see that she was, indeed, part of their team. They clearly all had a lot of love and respect for their leader, or as some called her, "their Captain," but Sian didn't want to be called that, as she rolled her eyes and would look away, clearly embarrassed whenever someone would call her that. It was also clear just how much Doctor Justice respected Sian, and how much she respected her, and observing them the way I did, even if it was just for a few minutes, I could clearly see just how much Sian loved working for this place and how much she loved working with these people.

Anyway, after introductions were done, we got our missions and where we were headed off to, and not long after that we set off to capture the Love Destroyers, Chris, Sian and I on one team and Chrissie and Nikita on the other, each of us with some good agents from Global Justice, and over those next couple of weeks, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and i worked tirelessly with Global Justice to find and capture the Love Destroyers, following the G.H.O.S.T.'s leads and orders closely, sometimes working very late nights, so determined were we to round up the Love Destroyers who avoided us so that we could quickly bring them to justice. With every Love Destroyer captured, a little more happier and at ease we found ourselves, but we wouldn't be shouting and whooping for joy until all those Love Destroyers were captured. After each capturing, there was the matter of paperwork to go through, but that was left to people like Mr Dawson, so that the rest of us could get back into the field quickly. But the speed at which we were capturing them was not the most impressive thing to me at that time. No, what impressed me above everything else was Sian.

You see, my dear readers, when Sian was out there in the field, in command of her team, she was a completely different person to the one I knew. She was more assertive, more in control - not just of herself, but of the situation; she took control of the people under her command and each assignment she took with a powerful sort of ease, and everyone around her followed her instructions without question, hearing the respect she demanded from her team in her voice every time she wanted them to do something. And it was then that I was seeing what Sian was like as Athena Amethyst Phoenixclaw: a rather domination force of nature to be reckoned with, who could easily hold her own and help her team whenever we needed her. To be honest, I found it hard to see Sian during these times. I could only see Athena. Even Chris and Chrissie, who had been used to Sian being the Girl Who Saves the World for so many years, found it hard to wrap their heads around this transformation, too. i actually started to distance myself from her because of this, which naturally did not go unnoticed by her, and when she asked me why I was being so weird around her and I told her why, she told me, "I may have changed my name, Kiara, but I am still the same person you know. Nothing can change that."

Once she had said those words, I realised that she was right and that I was being stupid. She was still the same headstrong, bright, annoying person I had grown up with in Dragon Mort, and the only thing I could not seem to look past was how different she was on a mission than she was at home. So I quickly dismissed those thoughts from my head, focusing on the fact that Sian Zoe Katrina Dawson and Athena Amethyst Phoenixclaw were one and the same person, and with each passing day I reminded myself of that fact I felt that the distance between Sian and I was getting shorter and shorter, and soon enough she and I were back to normal.

And so, the rounding up of the Love Destroyers took less time than we thought, and although we were pleased with ourselves that we had caught them all within two weeks, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita, Global Justice, the G.H.O.S.T. Squad, the wizarding world and I knew that we could not celebrate just yet, for the trials were yet to occur.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **The Trials**

 **KIARA**

Since we had captured all the Love Destroyers and we wouldn't be needed for quite some time, Kara decided to give Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I the rest of the week off to relax a bit before going back to the Ministry on Monday to witness the trials. The five of us agreed willingly and gratefully, for we had worked hard rounding up the Love Destroyers, even Sian, who knew all too well how tiring missions like these were, was starting to moan about how much she missed her bed.

Over the next few days Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I spent our time together with Kopa and Ben, mainly joking and relaxing as the other Dawsons played games of Quidditch outside, or were else occupied in their own separated activities; sometimes I would leave Chris, Kopa, Sian, Chrissie and Ben to go riding on my own with Timmy, who Grandmother Sarafina had found and bought him to Dawson Manor, for there were times when I just wanted to be on my own, but this did not stop Chris from worrying about where I was, for when I came back he would hug me so tightly that I feared he would never let me go. Anyway, often we would have Kion with us, so as to give Grandmother Sarafina a break for taking care of him for a few hours, watching as he took some uncertain, bumbling footsteps. Yet through all this relaxation I could feel the air bristling in anticipation, and I prayed that Monday would hurry up so that we could see what the verdicts were for the Love Destroyers, and I could tell that Chris, Sian and Chrissie were often thinking the same thing.

At last, after what seemed like the longest week of my life, Monday finally came, and with it a newfound sense of purpose and restless anticipation for what was yet to come, and it was even worse at the breakfast table. No one spoke much that morning, and I believe that it had to do with the tense anticipation that hung in the air, thick as syrup. Needless to say, everyone was happy and breathed a little easier when Mr Dawson stood up from his chair at the end of the table, telling Mr Rickers, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I that it was time to go.

"Good luck, guys," Kopa said, kissing Sian and I goodbye. "Hope it goes well."

The other Dawsons offered us similar words of luck and wished us well, which Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I all nodded at, as we followed Mr Dawson and Mr Rickers out the door and proceeded to Apparate to the Ministry.

Seeing as this was a big deal, and Kara had alerted both the _Prophet_ and the _Squabbler_ to the fact that the Love Destroyer trials were beginning today, it unfortunately meant that our way was blocked by reporters and photographers the moment we got to the Ministry entrance. Keeping my chin up and looking directly ahead of me, I quickly followed Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chris, Sian and Chrissie through to the toilets that would take us down to the Ministry.

Once we got down there and had been checked over by security, the six of us headed to the lifts and took an empty one down to the Department of Mysteries, where we made our way quickly to Courtroom Ten, where the trials for the next week were being held.

The courtroom was slowly filling up with members of the Wizengamot and a few Aurors when Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I arrived. Looking around the courtroom I was glad of two things: that I was not in trouble this time, and that there was no Umber, Stingers and Yap there controlling the proceedings.

Looking around, I spotted Kara talking to a few members of the Wizengamot. She soon saw Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I and came to greet us as soon as she could.

"Good morning," she said to the six of us when she was close enough that she did not need to shout. "So, are you all ready to face the proceedings for this week?"

Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chris, Chrissie and I all nodded our heads eagerly as Sian said, "As ready as we'll ever be."

Kara chuckled at that. "Good to see you all so eager." Her expression then quickly turned serious as she said, "I've just been explaining to a few people what's going to happen, and I'm going to tell you too. Each Love Destroyer will get called in and will be given a fair trial, after which we will give our verdict and sentence them. Each Love Destroyer will be sentenced, I am certain of it. Oh, and I will need you four to write some statements for me concerning a few people," she added hastily to Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I.

"Of course, we'll do all we can to help," I said, Chris, Sian and Chrissie nodding vigorously. Kara beamed at our eagerness.

"Um, Kara?" Sian asked.

"Yes, Sian?" said Kara, turning to her.

"When will you be seeing us about our futures with the Ministry?"

"The end of this week, once the last trial is done," Kara answered. "I'll let you know to follow me to my office once it's done, all right?"

Sian nodded. Kara smiled at her.

"Well, it appears that we're about to begin with the proceedings," said Kara, turning to face the Wizengamot, who were all taking their seats, "so I think that we should do the same. Matt, Alexander, if you would like to follow me up to my bench where I've saved you both a seat, and if you, Chris, Sian and Chrissie go and join Nikita over there, Kiara, that would be great," Kara added, pointing to where Nikita sat. I nodded, and Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I went to sit next to Nikita.

When she saw us, Nikita stood up and moved over on her bench to make room for Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I. She nodded at us and we her.

"How are you guys?" she asked us. "Feeling all right about this?"

"A bit nervous, but that's to be expected," Sian answered for us. "I'm just really hoping that everything goes our way so that all our hard work we went through to capture these monsters hasn't been for nothing. What about you, Nikita? How are you holding up?"

Nikita shrugged. "About the same, really. I mean, we all want these monsters to pay for what they've done by standing on Zira's side and helping her. This is such a big deal to the wizarding world, you know, and I hope that we can put people's minds at ease by making sure these Love Destroyers and Ministry jerks don't get off too lightly and remain stuck behind bars for the rest of their miserable, wretched lives where they rightfully belong."

I nodded at that, as did Chris, Sian and Chrissie, but before I could say anything to her all the talk in the courtroom immediately died, leaving a rather cold, calculating silence in its wake, signifying that the first trial was about to begin.

And not a moment later the courtroom door opened, and the first Love Destroyer came in, guided roughly by an Auror on either side, to the chair in the middle of the room, and as soon as she sat down on it, the chains clinked up her arms and bound her, as the Aurors turned and waited by the courtroom door until they were needed to take the Love Destroyer away again.

Now, I'm not going to go into too much detail about the trials themselves, for they were pretty much all the same and I'd be here for days, so I'm just going to tell you the gist of the trials so that you can try and understand what happened in them, my dear readers.

So, when the Love Destroyer or Ministry member in question had been bound in the chair, the questioning instantly began. Of course, name, place of residence, age, children (if any), former career and so on were all taken care of first, and then the really tough, nitty-gritty questioning began. Now, I should point out here that all the Love Destroyers or former Ministry members were given Veritaserum before they came in to the courtroom so as to avoid any uncertainty to their truthfulness, and it worked every time. Once the questioning was out of the way, the verdict was held, and each Love Destroyer or former Ministry member was given either a life's sentence or several years stuck in Azkaban, depending on the seriousness of the crimes they had committed.

There were four trials done in the morning and four in the afternoon, with lunch breaking them up. Nothing really interesting happened until Thursday, when Nuka Outsider, widower of Katalina, was brought in, and upon seeing Sian he broke free of the people holding him and made straight for her. Kopa had come with us that day to see what would happen to Nuka, but he did not have the chance to protect Sian, for as soon as she had seen Nuka running at her, she had drawn her wand and had sent him flying backwards into the arms of the waiting Aurors. He could not have done much anyway, seeing as he did not have a wand, so I don't know what he was thinking or what he could have done, so it was pretty mad of him for trying to take Sian down, but then again it was pretty mad of him to try.

It was a pretty much open and shut case after that: once the Wizengamot had seen Nuka go for Sian, they did not bother to hear what he had to say for himself.

"Take him back to Azkaban, put him in one of the top-level security cells and make sure he stays there!" barked Kara, glaring coldly at him as the Aurors dragged Nuka away, and as he left he laughed maniacally all the way out of the courtroom, and looking around I could see many of the Wizengamot members shaking their heads in disgust or anger at his behaviour.

Once he was gone, many people rushed to Sian and crowded around Sian, including Kara, Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Nikita, Chrissie and I, all of us wanting to know if she was all right. She quickly reassured us that she was fine, a little shaken but otherwise OK, and once that had been established Kara quickly hurried back to her spot on the judging bench to move on to the next trial, and as she hurried back to her spot I noticed that Sian leant into Kopa's embrace, needing just enough of his warmth and love to help her get over the shock before the next trial began.

The final trials were held on Friday, and the final two cases were the most interesting and important to me: those of the Maltys and Democritus Umber. Sian and I both had things to say on both trials, so during the hour we had for lunch, we decided to meet with Kara in her office to tell her our thoughts.

"So, girls," said Kara, once Sian and I had sat down, "what can I do for you?"

"Actually, it's something that we can do for you," said Sian, "by providing you with some interesting information concerning the Maltys and Democritus Umber."

Kara's eyes widened slightly on hearing this. "Really? And what information might that be?"

"Well, the first has to do with Latchna Malty," I quickly explained. "You see, Kara, Zira had struck me with the Killing Curse, but I survived again, as you know, but the only reason Zira didn't know that I was alive in the Black Forest was because of Latchna Malty. Zira had sent him to check if I was dead, but as soon as he learnt that I was alive he lied to Zira, saying that I was dead, but only so that he and Narissa could find their daughter, Danielle, for she was all they cared about in the end, not who won or lost."

Kara considered my words for a moment, then said slowly, "That certainly is interesting information about the Maltys, Kiara. I'll ask Latchna about it during the trial, and then the Wizengamot and I will decide on what should happen to them. Now, what information on Democritus Umber do you have for me?"

"Do you have a Pensieve lying around, Kara?" Sian asked suddenly.

"Of course, the Ministry always has one ready for use," said Kara. "Why do you ask for it? Is it important?"

"Yes," said Sian, "for you see, Kara, Kiara and I have some memories to show you regarding Democritus Umber, concerning this - " she threw back her neck, showing Kara the harsh scar that had been made when she was fifteen when she jumped in front of a centaur to defend it from Umber's attack, "and these - " she held up my right hand so that Kara could see the thin scars made by one of Umber's blood quills: _I must not tell lies_. "Oh, and I also have a memory showing Democritus Umber almost using the Cruciatus Curse on Kiara as well."

As soon as Kara saw these she immediately shot out of her seat and ran for the door, returning a few minutes later, panting heavily, with a Pensieve which she placed on her desk.

"Quickly, girls, show me these memories," she said hurriedly. "We don't have much time until the trials start again, after all."

So Sian and I showed Kara our memories. Sian went first, showing the memory of Umber attacking her when she defended the centaurs from his lunacy and then the memory of Umber almost hitting me with the Cruciatus Curse, which I narrowly avoided due to Sian saving me, and I chose to show Kara the first memory of my first ever detention with Umber.

Once both memories had been shown to her, Kara said nothing. Her skin, dark as it was, was slightly pale, and I think that she was in such a state of shock and outrage, judging from the rapid rise and fall of her chest, that she could not speak. Seeing this, Sian decided to speak first, persuading Kara to see reason.

"Er - Kara?" she said slowly, hesitantly. "Kiara and I understand that these memories are a few years old - they were during our time at school, after all - but he did some pretty terrible things to us during his time at Dragon Mort. I know that the trial today is about his crimes against Muggle-borns and bright-brains, but I thought, as does Kiara, that these memories will be enough to make him pay for what he did to us."

"Oh, he'll pay all right," Kara growled. "I'll make sure of it."

She then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened them and asked us, "How old were you both when these events transpired?"

"We were both fifteen," Sian answered.

Kara nodded thoughtfully. Then she asked, "Would it be all right with you if I were to use these as evidence in the trial? It's just that I had heard of some of the rather questionable things he had done at Dragon Mort, but the case was disbanded on insufficient evidence. If I use this against him today, however, it might just be enough to increase his sentence. If you girls say no, I'll understand, but Democritus Umber has been someone who I have wanted to get one over for quite some time now, and this evidence might just do that. But the choice is yours as to whether or not we can use these, as they are your memories."

I did not have to look at Sian to know what her answer was going to be as I told Kara, "Of course you may use our memories, Kara. We showed them to you for a reason, you know."

"Thank you, girls," she said, as she put my memory in a second phial and picked up the first containing Sian's memory. "Now, before we go back to the courtroom, would either of you like to ask me anything else."

"Yes," I said, "may I give you my memory of Latchna Malty saving me from Zira, even if it was for a selfish reason, as extra evidence just in case the Wizengamot don't believe me?"

Kara smiled and nodded. "I think that would be rather wise, Kiara. Let's see it, then …"

So I drew my wand out once again, put it to my temple and, concentrating on the right memory, I drew it out of my mind and put it into the temple. Once she had realised it was the right memory, her smile broadened and she tapped the Pensieve with her wand to stop it, then picked it up with her wand and placed it in a third phial. Picking it up, she checked her watch and then turned to Sian and I and said, "Now, I think it's time for us to head back down to the courtroom, girls, if you would both follow me …"

And so Sian and I followed Kara out of her office to the lifts, and together we got into the first free one we could get to take us down to the courtrooms.

Upon entering Courtroom Ten, I immediately saw three chairs sitting in the centre of the room than just the one, meaning that it was almost time for the Maltys' trial to begin. Sian and I went to sit next to Chris, Chrissie and Nikita as we had done all week, and as soon as we did they questioned us.

"Where have you been?" Chris demanded. "We've been worried about you!"

"Sorry, but we had last minute evidence to give to Kara," I said.

"What type of evidence?" asked Nikita.

"You'll see," I said, sharing a knowing smile with Sian.

These evasive words did nothing to quash Chris, Chrissie and Nikita's curiosity, for Chrissie said in an annoyed tone, "What's that supposed to - ?"

"Shh!" Sian hissed suddenly, looking towards the bench where the judge's seat was, which Kara was now sitting. Upon seeing this the rest of the courtroom, which until that moment had been full of whispering, fell silent as every eye fell on the door of the courtroom, and as I, too, looked at the door, it opened and in came three people, each of them with an Auror standing on either side of them, and I had to hold back a gasp at what I was seeing.

The Maltys were barely recognisable: their faces were grim and dirty, their cheeks and eyes hollow, their robes were tatted and torn and their hair was matted and just as dirty as their skin. The three of them each had a different expression: Narissa had her eyes fixed on the ceiling, her face unreadable; Latchna was staring straight ahead, and I could just see part of his cheek moving slightly, as though he were biting the inside of his cheek to stop his jaw from quivering; and Dani was looking at the floor, and I could hear snivelling sounds coming from her. I think she was crying. But one thing all the Maltys had in common was that they were trembling.

The Maltys were forced unceremoniously into the three chairs. Latchna, seeing his daughter's distress, tried to reach out and touch her, but the shackles crept up his wrists and bound him, much like they did his wife and daughter.

The Aurors then left the courtroom, and once they had gone and the door had closed behind them did Kara speak, her voice echoing loudly around the room, commanding everyone's attention and demanding respect.

"So, you three are Narissa Octavia Malty, Latchna Hercule Malty and Danielle Ashanti Malty, residents of Malty Manor, your country home, in Devonshire, is that correct?"

After a few moments, Narissa Malty raised her head and reluctantly said, "Yes, that is true."

"And you were born on the seventh of January, nineteen fifty-five, your husband on the ninth of February, nineteen fifty-five, and your daughter was born on the sixth of June, nineteen ninety-three, is that correct, Mrs Malty?"

"Yes."

"And you were all Love Destroyers for Lady Zira, were you not?"

"We were, yes."

There was an outbreak of muttering at this, which was interrupted loudly by Kara, who said, "You, Mrs Malty, were charged with several other known Love Destroyers here at the Ministry not two years previously for trying to steal a prophecy and for your conspiring with the Dark witch Lady Zira, were you not?"

"I was, yes," said Mrs Malty resignedly.

"Yet you escaped?" said Kara coldly.

"The Scarlet Lady freed us from Azkaban. We had no choice but to follow, or else face death at her hand."

"Surely death would have been kinder for you instead of following a power-hungry psychopath?"

Mrs Malty was shaking now, so much so that her chains started rattling as she answered, "I was desperate to see my husband and daughter again. That's why I followed."

Kara's cold, scrutinising gaze never left Narissa's face as she said, "I see. So you followed Lady Zira only for the sake of your family, is that it?"

Narissa seemed to relax a little as she answered, "Yes, exactly. I wanted to stay alive for them."

"So you had no desire to be a part pf any more of Lady Zira's plans?"

"No, I did not - none of us did," said Narissa, turning to her husband and daughter.

"Well if that's true, why is it that your daughter was involved in a plot to kill Susan Crighton?" said Kara coldly.

Danielle looked at the ground, trembling violently, as Narissa's eyes widened, but she did not say a word, so Latchna came to their rescue.

"My daughter had no choice. She was forced into it by the Scarlet Lady, for she wanted to get revenge on Narissa for her mistake at the Ministry - "

"When you say 'mistake'," interposed Kara, "do you mean where your wife led a small number of your fellow Love Destroyers into the Ministry to try and steal a prophecy for Lady Zira?"

"Yes."

Kara nodded once. "Proceed."

"So, the Scarlet Lady got Danielle to kill Susan Crighton," Latchna continued. "My innocent girl, who was only sixteen at the time, who was in far greater danger than you could possibly imagine - "

"Oh, I think we can imagine what she would have done to your daughter, Mr Malty," said Kara coldly. After all, many of us here are aware of what your leader was capable of."

There was a collective murmur of agreement at this from the people sat behind Kara. I looked back at Dani, who was still looking at the floor, the chains binding her rattling as loudly as her mother's she was shaking so hard, and I have to admit that I did feel sorry for her in that moment, having to do Zira's wishes or face severe punishment. But my attention was then drawn back on Kara, who was addressing Latchna again.

"But your daughter did not succeed, did she?"

"No, she did not," said Latchna, glaring at Kara, "but my daughter was still punished by - "

"We are not here to listen to how your daughter was punished by Lady Zira, Mr Malty," Kara said quickly, silencing Latchna, who continued to glare at her. "We are here to learn what you did for Lady Zira - and on that point, I find it interesting that your wife says that none of you wanted anything to do with her, yet sources say - and I am sure that her Royal Highness, Princess Kiara can vouch for this - that Snatchers had caught the Princess, Miss Sian Dawson, Miss Christina Dawson and Mr Christopher Rickers and brought them to your house, which was used as headquarters for Lady Zira. Do you deny it?"

It seemed as though everyone in the room drew in a collective breath at Kara's words, as every eye was focused on Narissa Malty, who was sat ramrod straight in her chair, her wide eyes fixed on Kara's narrow ones. After what seemed like a lifetime, thought it could not have been longer than a couple of seconds, he said, "No."

There was an explosion of angry muttering at this, which was quelled shortly by Kara, who said loudly, "Order, order, that will do!"

Once silence was restored, Kara asked, "So, why did you offer your home to Lady Zira? And why did you keep Princess Kiara and her friends hostage in your house?"

"We wanted to get back into the Scarlet Lady's good books," Narissa answered at once, "that's why we offered her our home, and as for Kiara - the _Princess_ , I should say," she added with distaste, " my family and I wanted our honour back, and we knew that if we handed her over to the Scarlet Lady that she would forgive us our mistakes and would honour us above all other wizards."

"I see," said Kara. "And were you honoured above all other wizards?"

"No. She, her friends and a few others escaped by the help of our old house-elf, Dokey."

Kara scrutinised Narissa Malty closely as she asked, "When you say 'others', do you mean a faun by the name of Grimzhan, Miss Dena Wright, Mr Lincoln Lovedream, who you were holding hostage because of what his mother, Mrs Xion Lovedream, had been writing about Princess Kiara in her magazine, the Mystics - and Madam Wandwick, who was being hidden in the cellar under your drawing room because Lady Zira needed her? Are these the people who escaped your home along with Princess Kiara, Sian Dawson, Christina Dawson and Christopher Rickers?"

"Yes," answered Narissa.

"Well, under ordinary circumstances, I would say that this evidence would earn the three of you a lifelong sentence in Azkaban. However, some last minute evidence that was given to me not too long ago might just change my decision, but only if the rest of the Wizengamot agrees with me."

I saw many faces of the Wizengamot look at each other in confused curiosity, as the Maltys all looked at each other, curious, confused, yet hopeful.

Once the room had calmed down again, Kara continued, "You see, Princess Kiara herself told me that Latchna Malty protected her from Lady Zira when she demanded him to check if she was dead, and once he found out she was alive, he lied to Lady Zira, telling her she was dead. Now, I should say that Latchna Malty only did this so that he and his wife could find their daughter, as neither of them cared about the war, but this does not change the fact that he protected Princess Kiara from Lady Zira, thereby allowing Kiara to destroy Lady Zira once and for all. Furthermore, Princess Kiara gave me her memory of the event to show to you witches and wizards of the Wizengamot, just in case any of you don't believe what her word or mine."

There was more murmuring from the Wizengamot at these words, though it did sound a lot less hostile - to my ears at least. I looked at the Maltys again, all three of whom were looking at me in astonishment. I nodded at them and shrugged before turning back to the Wizengamot, where I could see Kara had turned her head, listening to the discussions going on around her.

I looked at Chris, who smiled and squeezed my hand, the only source of comfort he could give me, and I understood why. It was true that the Maltys and I were never going to see eye to eye, and that they had been Love Destroyers once upon a time, but at the end of the day they cared more about being a family than their loyalty to Zira, and Latchna had protected me from her clutches, even if he did so that he and Narissa could find Dani, so did that really mean that they all deserved to spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban? I don't think Dani would last very long in there, to be honest ...

Eventually the muttering subsided and everyone's attention was drawn back to Kara, who had turned back to face the Maltys, her expression neutral as she spoke.

"Latchna Malty, Narissa Malty and Danielle Malty, under normal circumstances I would have charged the three of you at once to a life sentence in Azkaban for involvement in Love Destroyer activities and involvement in the Dark Arts, no questions asked. However, due to the evidence given to us by the Princess of the Pride-Lands has changed things. So after much discussion, the majority of the Wizengamot has agreed that you are all free to go, and if I were you I would thank the Princess, for things could have gone very differently for you had she decided not to give testimony for you."

I watched as the chains came off each of the Maltys, and they all looked surprised and relieved by the turn of events. I then looked at Chris, Sian, Chrissie and Nikita to see their reactions. The latter two looked confused and angry at what had happened. Sian looked quite relaxed about it, and Chris squeezed my hand again, smiled and nodded at me. I smiled back before looking at the Maltys again, who were now all hugging each other. I then watched as Latchna's eyes found mine. I nodded at him, he nodded back, and not long after that the three Maltys left the courtroom.

Once the courtroom door had closed, Chrissie turned to me and hissed, "What the hell, Kiara? What did you defend them for?"

"Look, as hard as this is for you to believe, Chrissie, Latchna Malty did defend me from Zira," I told her, "and I know that Dani's a jerk, but she's not altogether a bad person. I think she and her mother could be all right with a bit of gentle coaxing from Latchna. Besides, I don't think Dani would last that long in Azkaban. No child deserves to spend the rest of their life stuck behind bars."

"I think Kiara's right, Chrissie," said Sian, smiling at me. "There are so many worse people who deserve to be stuck in Azkaban, and the Maltys are not those people. And if anything good has come out of this was for them, it's that they've finally recognised the importance of family and how much more special it is than money - and about time too, I might add."

Chrissie opened her mouth stupidly to respond, but having nothing, she closed it again, looking annoyed. Sian smiled smugly at having silenced her sister, sweeping her hair back with her right hand, before her smile vanished and her posture was rammed straight, as the murmuring from the Wizengamot suddenly stopped and every eye was once again fixated on the courtroom door. Knowing who was about to come through it, but not altogether ready for what was going to happen, I clutched Chris' hand and eyes the door nervously as it opened.

Guarded by two Aurors, the squat, toad-faced figure of Democritus Umber came marching in. Immediately I noticed the difference in his appearance: his usual baby blue robes had been replaced with those the Azkaban prisoners wore, he had no little black fez on the top of his head that was perched like a fly he was about to eat and his skin was sallow (no doubt due to Azkaban), but all of this did nothing to stop the smile that curved his lips, which only widened as he caught sight of myself, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and Nikita, revealing his pointed teeth. I suppressed a shudder and felt Chris squeeze my hand tightly, which I was thankful for, for I certainly needed my strength on seeing Umber again.

They put him in the only chair in the courtroom (the others must have been moved when I wasn't looking), and chains bound him to it instantly as the Aurors left the room. I looked up at Kara then, who was studying Umber through shrewd, narrow eyes, and I saw that beside her sat a stone basin, which like the chairs must have been brought down between the trials, and I knew that Kara was going to use it later in the trial.

"Democritus Jonas Umber," began Kara, "born on the thirty-first of October nineteen sixty-two, and currently residing in Number Thirteen, Thieves Lane, Shrewsbury, is that correct?"

"Yes," said Umber, in his babyish voice.

"Mr Umber," Kara then went on, "you stand here today before the entire Wizengamot, accused of crimes against Muggle-borns, believing that they, along with certain others, have stolen magic from us. You are also charged with crimes against bright-brains, claiming that they use their high intelligence to trick those of us who are not as smart as they are, so that they can somehow gain our knowledge through supposed 'mind reading' skills, a great power we do not possess, you said, and once done you claim to say that they keep the knowledge to themselves and use it against those of us who have little to no brains at all to make us afraid of their power so that they may quench our thirst for knowledge and learning."

There was a deal of angry muttering at this. I turned to Sian, who looked shocked, appalled and angry at Umber's stupid allegations, not that I could blame her, for I was just as angry as most people in that courtroom were at Umber's abominable words. And looking down at Umber I saw, quite unsurprisingly, that he looked nonplussed at the effect his wrds were having on the court. He looked quite comfortable, despite the shackles binding his wrists, and his smile, if anything, grew wider. I felt such a loathing for that man, and I wanted nothing better than to wipe the smile off that ugly, arrogant toadlike face -

"Silence!" Kara called loudly, and the courtroom fell still at once. Turning back to Umber, she asked him, "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Umber replied in his boyish voice, though it now had a rough edge to it from being in Azkaban, and as he spoke his smile became, if possible, broader.

Kara raised her eyebrows.

"Really? So you have no reason, then, to believe that Muggle-borns 'stole' magic from us, which in itself is a ridiculous notion, I might add, as everyone knows that we are all, even Muggle-borns, are born with magic inside them!"

"None whatsoever," Umber answered nonchalantly.

"And what of the other allegation? About bright-brains using this supposed 'great power' against us because they are smarter than the rest of us and want to know everything?"

"I have never said such a thing in my life," denied Umber.

There was another outbreak of angry muttering at this, not that I could blame the Wizengamot, for Umber's accusations against Muggle-borns and bright-brains were absolutely ridiculous. And Kara seemed to think the same.

"Do you know what I think, Mr Umber? I think that you are a liar and that you believe these ridiculous assumptions against Muggle-borns and bright-brains because you get a certain thrill of power over those poor innocent souls you sent to Azkaban, not to mention the fact that you despise all Muggle-borns and bright-brains, which in my eyes makes you as good as any Love Destroyer. And your remark about bright-brains wanting to know everything, I put that down as a thirst for learning and their curiosity to know more, much like the rest of us; and I know for a fact that bright-brains wouldn't keep their knowledge from us and threaten the rest of us if we got too nosy, but they would share their knowledge with us so that we could learn more from the information they have collected, which is important and vital for us to learn and for our learning to grow."

There was a general murmur of assent at Kara's words. I looked at Umber, who did not seem to be too worried by what was happening, but Kara's next words soon changed all that.

"Before the Wizengamot makes its decision, Mr Umber, I would like to alert everyone to some last minute evidence against Mr Umber about some of his rather questionable actions while he was at Dragon Mort. I have here three memories, the first given to me by Miss Sian Dawson, and the second by her Royal Highness, Princess Kiara - "

"There is no way Pride-Lander is a princess!" spat Umber suddenly. "This is another lie she is making up just to attract attention for her- "

"Mr Umber, may I remind you that it is you who is on trial here, and therefore you will remember to keep silent until I ask you a question!" shouted Kara. "And the Princess is not lying about her identity, as she revealed it to those of us who were at Dragon Mort the night of the battle, so therefore you would do well to respect her, or else!"

I was pleased to see the smile wiped off Umber's face at those words, as a look of incredulous shock stole over his features as his bulging eyes found mine. I just smirked at him.

Umber scowled.

"The first memory I am going to show you all," Kara went on, "is of Princess Kiara's first detention with Mr Umber. The second memory shows Mr Umber almost using an Unforgivable Curse on the Princess, and the third and final memory shows Mr Umber attacking Miss Sian Dawson, to say the least."

And Kara put the memories, one after the other, into the Pensieve beside her, and each time she would swirl it, like a gold prospector would swirl for figments of gold before prodding the thoughts with the tip of her wand for the entire courtroom to see.

The Wizengamot did not bother to keep their expressions of shock and outrage hidden or quiet as they watched the memories, and neither did Chris, Chrissie and Nikita, whom I had forgotten had not seen these memories before. None of them kept their shock quiet when I wrote with my own blood using the blood quill, nor did anyone cover their shock when they heard the Umber in the memory confess that it was he who had sent the Stingers after me; the whole room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when Sian saved me from Umber's Cruciatus Curse, but that relief was shortlived when they saw Sian defend Umber from the centaurs, and many of them screamed when Sian jumped in front of one of the centaurs to protect it and ended up being the one strangled by Umber's ropes. I looked at Umber often as these memories were shown, and I was pleased to see that he looked really worried now, as he should be.

Once all the memories had been seen, Kara said, "I should inform you all that that was not Princess Kiara's first detention with Mr Umber, and Miss Dawson has scars around her neck from Mr Umber's attack - "

"It was the stupid girl's own fault that happened!" spat Umber suddenly, his eyes bulging. "If she hadn't led me to the Forest in the first place, and hadn't tried to be noble by defending those creatures, she could have prevented herself from being in that predicament - "

"Mr Umber, might I remind you that it is _you_ who is on trial here!" Kara said loudly. "You and no one else! And yes, Miss Dawson's actions could have been thought through a little more carefully, but from what we have seen not only did she defend the Princess from your madness, but she also defended a centaur from you too - a whole herd, in fact - which she didn't have to, but by doing so shows that she has far more humanity within her than you could ever hope for, and is by far ten times a better person than you are, Mr Umber - and the same goes for Princess Kiara as well!"

There was a lot of vigorous nodding from the Wizengamot at Kara's statement, and I thought that if we were not in a courtroom that they would all be cheering with delight at Kara's praise, which Umber, I saw with increasing delight, looked more troubled by.

"Well now that all the evidence has been given and we've heard what the defendant has to say for himself, I think it's time we vote," said Kara. "All those in favour of conviction, please raise your hand now."

From what I could tell, all of the Wizengamot's hands had risen. I glanced at Umber, who looked disbelievingly at what he was seeing, and I had trouble keeping a straight face. mot just at his incredulous expression, but also at justice finally being done at the man I loathed so much.

Once all the hands had fallen, Kara asked, "All those in favour of the defendant being cleared of all charges, raise your hand now."

Not surprisingly, not one hand was raised in Umber's favour. The entire courtroom was glaring in hatred at Umber, who was gazing desperately from one person to another, desperate for some sympathy, not that it would have done him much good, anyway …

"Democritus Umber," said Kara loudly, "I hereby sentence you to life in Azkaban for crimes against Muggle-borns and bright-brains, for inhumane punishments at Dragon Mort students, for the attempted use of the Cruciatus Curse on Princess Kiara, for an unprovoked attack on the Dragon Mort Magical Academy centaur herd and for the attempted murder of Miss Sian Zoe Katrina Dawson. Take him away!"

As the courtroom door opened and the same two Aurors who had brought Umber in came to escort him back to Azkaban, Umber turned to face Sian and I and, knowing that there was nothing he could do, glowered at us, but Sian and I were not troubled by it, as we both knew that Umber was going to rot the rest of his miserable life away in Azkaban, and I was sure that I was not the only one who was not sorry to be seeing the last of him that day.

As soon as the courtroom door had closed, the courtroom was suddenly abuzz with noise and movement, seeing as Umber's was the final trial of the week. I looked at Chris, who was starting back at me intently, squeezing my hand tightly in both his own.

"Are you OK?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly. "I mean, it was a bit of a shock at seeing those things happen to you and Sian, but I'll be OK."

I smiled and nodded at him, reassuring both him and myself that we were both going to be fine as long as we were together.

I then felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw that the hand belonged to Sian, who had stood up, along with Chrissie and Nikita, who were now waiting on Chris and I.

"Come on, let's go outside and wait for Kara," Sian told us.

Chris, Chrissie, Nikita and I agreed and followed Sian outside the courtroom where we found Latchna, Narissa and Danielle Malty standing. Hearing the door open they turned to face it and, seeing it was us came over to us.

Neither party spoke for a moment or two. Then Latchna sighed heavily and said, "Well, Your Highness, it seems as though my family and I owe you our thanks for getting us out of going back to Azkaban. We don't have to curtsy or anything, do we?"

I shook my head. "No, you don't have to worry about that," I said quickly.

"Good," said Latchna, he, Narissa and Dani all looking relieved. "But why did you do it? Why did you decide to help us? After all, we've never seen eye to eye before, and all of you have made your thoughts perfectly clear about what you've thought about our family before - Dani in particular. So why did you - ?"

"Well, you did protect me from Zira, Mr Malty," I said. "I know you had your own selfish reasons for doing it, but still, it happened and I'm grateful to you for it. Besides, I don't think your daughter would have lasted very long locked in a cell in Azkaban by the looks of her."

Narissa and Latchna both looked at Dani then, and they could see how pale she was. They nodded and turned back to me, Latchna pulling Dani closer to his side tightly, not daring to let her go for the moment.

"Well, we're still grateful to you," said Latchna, adding darkly, "but if you ever tell a soul what I said - "

"I won't say anything if you won't," I said quickly.

Latchna paused, his mouth hanging open stupidly, then quickly recovered himself and said, "Well, that settles things, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does," I answered. Latchna, Narissa and I shared a nod, and Danielle, I saw, tried to smile at me, though it looked more like a grimace than anything else.

Latchna's sharp eyes then found Sian, who looked nervous under the scrutinising gaze he was giving her, but she recovered quickly, sighed resignedly and said, "Look, if you're going to have a go at me for what happened between your sister and I, then I'm sorry, but I - "

"You don't need to apologise or explain yourself to me," Latchna said quickly.

Sian looked startled.

"I don't?" she said, surprised.

"No, you do not. It was a war zone at the end of the day, and either you or my sister was going to die, although it did rather look as though you were going to finish each other off at the same time for a moment or two, I have to admit."

"If you don't mind me saying, sir, why aren't you more upset Katalina's dead?" Sian asked cautiously. "I mean, she was your sister after all."

"We may have been brother and sister, Miss Dawson, but we never did show each other much love," Latchna explained. "Even when we were growing up she showed more affection and devotion to the Dark Arts than to her own family, but that isn't to say that a part of me won't miss her, but I love my own family more than I ever loved her."

"What will you do with Katalina's body, then?" I asked. "Will you be holding a funeral for her?"

"Oh, to be honest I haven't really thought about it … but I think it best that she be buried alongside all the other prisoners at Azkaban, for in the end I saw her as more of an escaped convict than a sister."

Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I all looked at each other, rather shocked by Latchna's confession, but I nodded in understanding, for I felt that it would have been wrong to have buried someone that evil and twisted at a church or in a family's tomb rather than beside the dark place where all the other evil and twisted people belonged - although, I did feel quite sad and disappointed that Katalina would not be able to go home, but then again, did she ever truly belong there?

"Speaking of funerals," said Sian, "will you be doing one for Keziah?"

"Yes, yes we will," said Latchna. "And you, Miss Dawson, the rest of your family, you and your brother, your Highness, you, Miss Bore, and your rather odd friend may come and pay your respects to Keziah," said Latchna. "You were all good to Keziah and were there for her when we weren't, so therefore you may come. Just be sure not to stay too long after the ceremony, that's all we ask."

"Works for us," I said, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and Nikita all nodding in agreement.

"Thank you," said Latchna. "It's about time we give Keziah the love and kindness that we had denied her for so long - even if it is a few years too late …" he added sadly.

"Well, I'm just glad the three of you have finally realised that family is worth a lot more than money," said Sian, "which is something that my family values very highly - and is something some of us are still learning, in fact."

"Yes, well, the war has given us a lot to think about," said Narissa, looking at her husband and daughter affectionately.

There was a pause. Then Latchna said, "Well, I think it's time for us to be off. We'll send you an owl with the date and time of Keziah's funeral in a few days."

I nodded, and the Maltys turned and walked away.

"Stay out of trouble!" Sian called after them.

As we had been talking to the Maltys, members of the Wizengamot had come out of the courtroom, and seeing us talking to the Maltys none of them said anything, just gave us a passing nod, but that did not stop them from eyeing the Maltys suspiciously. I only mention this as at the moment the Maltys retreated down the corridor, the courtroom door opened again and Kara stepped out.

"Come on, you five," she said at once to Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I, "let's go up to my office, shall we?"

So Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I followed Kara back up the corridor, up the stairs, into a lift and all the way back up to her office on the first floor. Once there, she conjured up three extra chairs next to the two that were already in front of her desk with her wand and we all sat down.

"Well, now that those trials are all over and done with," Kara began, "first and foremost I would like to thank the five of you on behalf of the Ministry for all the help you have given us these past few weeks. It has been most useful to us, I can assure you.

"Now, though, I have to remind you of the temporary contracts you signed at the beginning, for now that time is ended. If you wish to stay with the Aurors, you may do so, but it's your choice. So, Sian, what's it to be?"

"I have known for many years now that the Ministry wasn't for me, Kara," Sian told her, "which doesn't mean that I'm not grateful for helping you when you asked for my help catching the Love Destroyers, because I am, but I can never see myself working here for the rest of my life."

"Very well," said Kara, nodding. "Chrissie, what about you?"

Chrissie, I noticed, looked unsure of herself as she answered, "You know, a few years ago I would have said yes straightaway if you had asked me, but now … well, now I've come to terms with the fact that I'm my own person and that I can make my own decisions, and that I'm no longer someone who is always in Kiara's or her oldest sister's shadow, and I've reached the point where I can admit that I'm OK with that. So therefore I, too, must say thank you for letting me help you, but I'm done with Ministry work."

Sian looked just as surprised as I at Chrissie's words, but she was happy with Chrissie's decision, and so was I, and I was glad to see her taking control of her own life for a change. Kara nodded at her and turned her attention to Chris.

"And you, Chris?"

"I'm staying," he answered. "Now that I've experienced firsthand what being an Auror is like, I'd like to continue with it."

"Splendid," said Kara. "Then she turned to Nikita. "And will you be staying, too, Nikita?"

"No, thank you," Nikita answered politely. "I've done my part to help the wizarding world, and now I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life."

Kara nodded and looked at me.

"And what about you, Kiara? Would you like to stay on?"

"Yes, of course I would," I said at once, "but I am worried about how it would work. I mean, I'm going to have responsibilities in the Pride Lands soon enough, so I don't know how I possibly can - "

"Hey!" said Chris, reaching over and grabbing my hand. "Don't get your wand in a knot about it. Yes, there will be difficulties we'll face with this, but we'll sort those out once we're settled in the Pride Lands. So try not to let it worry you too much for now, OK?"

I smiled and nodded, squeezing his fingers gently in gratitude. Chris returned the pressure and he and I both looked back at Kara, who was smiling warmly at us.

"Chris is right, Kiara. The Ministry will help you once everything in the Pride Lands is settled. And with that being said, will you stay on with us and be one of the greatest Aurors the Ministry has ever had?"

I nodded, smiling broadly.

"Splendid," said Kara, nodding curtly. "Right, here are your temporary contracts. Just sign them at the bottom, and date them too, just to say that you have completed your time with us," she said, handing the contracts back to Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I, which we signed and dated as Kara advised. "Good. I'll have these filed and I'll bring over new contracts for you and Chris to sign at Dawson Manor later, Kiara, as Sian and myself have a press conference to get to, which will begin any minute now."

As Kara got up, Chris, Chrissie, Nikita and I turned to Sian, who looked slightly nervous, but somehow managed to steel herself quickly so as not to appear weak.

"Press conference?" Chrissie blurted suddenly. "What for? When did you decide on this? And why didn't you tell us?"

"I met up with Kara at the end of last week to request a press conference that I wanted to give," Sian explained, "and once I explained to her that it's time the world knows that I was the Girl Who Saves the World, she agreed. And the reason I never told any of you about it was because with everything going on I simply forgot about it."

Chrissie could not find fault with this explanation, and at that moment, Kara said, "Sian, we've got to go now. In fact, all of you had best come with us, seeing as the conference is going be held at the end of the Atrium."

"But what about our paperwork?" Chris asked, indicating myself and him.

"Don't worry, once the conference is over and done with, I'll fetch the paperwork and then Sian and I can Apparate to Dawson Manor and I'll get you and Kiara to sign it there, Chris, all right?"

Chris and I nodded.

"Good. Come on, then. Let's head back down to the Atrium."

So Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita and I followed Kara out of her office, all the way to the lifts and down to the Atrium. Once there, Sian bid Chris, Chrissie and I a quick farewell, and told Nikita to keep in touch before following Kara to the end of the hall where many reporters and photographers were stood. Not wanting to be bombarded by them, I led Chris, Chrissie and Nikita over to the fireplaces, where we got into one, one by one, and came out in one of the toilets.

"So … I guess I won't be seeing you guys for a while, huh?" said Nikita.

"Not until the funerals start," said Chrissie.

Nikita nodded and said, "Take care, you three. And keep in touch."

"You too," said Chris.

"Don't be a stranger now," I added.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Nikita.

We all laughed at that, then Nikita hugged Chris, Chrissie and I one at a time before the four of us Apparated our separate ways: Nikita for her grandfather's house, and Chris, Chrissie and I for Dawson Manor.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **The Funerals**

 **KIARA**

The day after the final trial, the _Squabbler_ released an article about all the Love Destroyers and ex-Ministry workers who were found guilty along with their sentencing, which as you can imagine led to a great deal of celebrating up and down the country, which of course meant that Muggles were seeing various amounts of daytime fireworks wherever they went. The Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Kopa and I did not do much celebrating; all we did was drink to justice for finally being done and hope for the future of our world, in the hopes that we would start to live in peace on the night of the final trial.

Sian's interview was not released until Monday, and it wasn't just us here in Britain who knew of the story: wizards and Muggles alike across the world knew that it was her who was the Girl Who Saves the World, as she had transformed into Athena Amethyst Phoenixclaw in front of the reporters, which was also recorded on cameras, which was how the Muggles knew. From that moment on, Sian received many calls of thanks and letters from strangers thanking her for all the good work she had done, and she also got invited, with Kopa, to go to many countries to see heads of state and Ministers for Magic, but she had to start writing dates down, and negotiating visiting dates with important personnel, as she, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, the rest of the Dawsons and I had many funerals to attend to first, beginning with Tanya's.

As you can imagine, my dear readers, Geri was not coping well with the death of her twin - her best friend, her equal. Gone was the smiling, happy, joking person we had grown up with, and in her place was a much more serious soul, who walked much slower, who constantly preferred solitude to company and seemed to constantly be on the verge of tears. The Dawsons and I did our best to help her get through the days, but to be honest I don't think any of us did much to help her, least of all me, for with the capturing of the Love Destroyers and the trials being done, the full weight of what I had lost hit me with full force, and I found myself trying not to cry during the day, trying to stay strong and be there for Geri. It was onlt at night when I was alone with Chris that I could finally let my emotions out.

Turns out I was wrong about not being a helpful friend to Geri, for she told me the day before the funeral that she appreciated and valued my friendship, and that she would do all she could to help me through the pain of losing my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, for sitting next to someone in silence after going through a painful experience together brought a strange comfort to both parties, she told me. I smiled at that, and since that day we have grown closer as friends. Geri also grew closer to Perdy and Sian, rather surprisingly, who helped her organise the funeral, along with Sam, Kat and Mr Dawson, who took control of most of the organising, with Geri pitching in her thoughts every so often, so that she, as well as the rest of us, could say goodbye to Tanya with style and flair.

The day before Tanya's funeral, her body was delivered to Dawson Manor and was placed in the drawing room, along with the bodies of my parents and Grandmother Sarafina, all of whom still had their wands with them. The house itself was very busy, with people bustling around the large dining room and the adjoining room for the friends and relatives to commune in after the burial, which was going to take place outside in the back garden, as Mr Dawson had got permission from the Ministry for the funeral to be performed there. The Dawsons, Kopa and I stayed out of the way as the caterers and decorators worked, choosing to stick close to Geri, who did not say a single word to anyone all day. I think she was mentally preparing herself for the day ahead, but I could not be sure.

By eleven o'clock the next morning, the Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Sam, Ferdinand, Kat, Perdy, Geri, Kopa and I, with baby Kion in my arms, were outside, dressed in bright colours, as we all knew Tanya would not have wanted us to wear black. We were joined by Olivia Cane, Alex Spinns, Andrew Johnstone (who seemed very close to Geri, I noticed), the old Lion-Heart Quidditch team, Tanya and Geri's close friend, Leah Jones, Mina, Kara, and many of the Dragon Mort teachers, including Professor Darbus, Professor Winds and Spud to name but a few, and of course the rest of the seats were filled by the other Dawson cousins and Aunt Sue, Uncle Paul, Uncle Maly, Aunt Flo and Nan Lorna.

Once all the seats had been filled, and the casket containing Tanya's body had been brought to the front and placed next to the hole in the earth that it was going to be lowered down into, a portly witch strode over to a podium beside the casket. She was dressed in black robes and her expression was grave as she turned and addressed us all, her voice calm, deep, sincere and gentle.

"We are gathered here, on this most saddest of days, to say goodbye to Tanya Eris Fang, beloved daughter, sister, cousin, granddaughter, niece and friend. She was a girl who was known to cause plenty of trouble with the help of her sister, Geri, and friend and, often accomplice, Leah Jones, but as troublesome as she was she had a good heart and was fiercely loyal to her friends and family, and fought bravely for what she believed in. And no matter how bad things looked, no matter how bleak things got for Tanya, both she and Geri were able to smile and laugh and let nothing get them down, which showed especially when they ignored what their guardians wanted for them and set up their own business together. And now I invite Tanya's sister, Geri, to come up here and say a few words."

The witch took her seat. I, like so many others, looked at Geri, who had tears streaming down her cheeks and seemed glued to her seat. I watched Mr Dawson nudge her, but she just shook her head at him, unwilling to go up there. Sam, Kat and Perdy then tried to persuade her, but they were almost immediately silenced by Sian, who, seeing her cousin struggle, got up and marched over to the podium. Everyone watched Sian intently, who glanced sadly at the casket before looking at a spot above everyone's heads and began to speak.

"Tanya and Geri were strangely close for sisters, despite them being twins. I can't remember a time they weren't together, for they were pretty much inseparable since birth, so it's strange to think of Geri without Tanya, for I'm sure that I am not the only one here who thought that they were going to die together, too." There were a few chortles at this, then Sian went on, "But Tanya will be missed, of that there is no doubt. i think what we will all miss the most about her is her laughter, a sound which Geri will miss more than any of us, I think.

"Tanya and Geri loved a good laugh, which is probably why they set up a joke shop, so that they could share their love of fun, laughter and trickery with the world. They did have their serious moments, though, something I never thought I would hear myself say, as serious is not a word any of us would register with those two, but for the most part Tanya and Geri were full of life and fun, who loved nothing more than to tell a good joke or play a good prank on someone, and for the most part the 'someone' in question was usually Perdy, although I do remember one time when they tried to send Kiara a toilet seat when she was stuck in the hospital wing to try and cheer her up, but Matron confiscated it as she thought it unhygienic - and quite right too, I might add."

There was more laughter at this statement; I laughed too, for I had forgotten that they had tried to do that; and even though it was a funeral, I found that it was OK to laugh along with other people who had know Tanya. Looking over at Geri, I saw that she was laughing too for the first time in weeks, and even though it was just a laugh, I had hope that this mean that she could start to heal.

Once the laughter had died down, Sian spoke again.

"I wasn't close to Tanya (or Geri for that matter), but I'm sure that if she were her now she'd say something like, 'Stop crying for me, you miserable sods, or you might find my dancing corpse scarying you to death'. And she'd be right, for Tanya wouldn't want us crying for her, feeling sorry for her and wallowing in sadness and self-pity. That is not to say that we shouldn't feel sad, for it is OK to feel sad. What I'm saying is that we should be celebrating her life, and that we should smile and share stories and tell jokes and have a laugh, because that's what Tanya would do, and I am certain that she would have wanted that. So I think that we should all take a leaf out of Tanya's book and tell a few more jokes and laugh a little more, and if and when we do go, we can die like Tanya did, on a joke, which I think is something we can all learn from, if I'm honest."

There were a few cheers and claps for Sian's words as she took her seat again. I nodded at Sian who smiled at me, then she turned to Mr Dawson, who kissed her cheek, and shared a smile with Geri as the Dawson relatives closest to her patted her back and shoulders.

We all fell silent again as the Ministry witch stood up and drew out her wand as she went to stand beside Tanya's casket, and Mr Dawson, seeing what was going to happen, stood up and went to stand on the other side of the casket to help the witch lower it magically into the ground. And as I watched Tanya being lowered gently into her finally resting place, protected by the casket she was encased in, it was then that it finally hit me that Tanya was gone and was never coming back, and I leant against Chris as my tears started to fall, and by the sounds of it I was not the only one.

Once the casket was lowered into the earth, we all stood up and went to stand next to Mr Dawson. We all threw dirt over the casket, along with flowers, all different types and colours: sprigs of lavender, delphinium, and flowers of gerbera, red and pink hyacinths, purple statice and red, yellow, white, orange, peach and cream roses were thrown in. Once we had all thrown a flower and chucked a pinch of dirt on top of the casket, Mr Dawson drew out Tanya's wand from an inside pocket of his robes, held it in both hands and, closing his eyes, snapped the wand in two: the resounding crack reverberated loudly in the air, sounding just like the breaking of a bone, and from the tip of the wand three red sparks flew out of it. Mr Dawson then threw the wand into the casket, and then stood back as the Ministry witch raised her wand and a large mound of earth beside the hole rose into the air and covered the hole completely.

Geri immediately fell to her knees beside the grave and started crying, her body trembling convulsively. Andrew knelt down beside her and put his arms around her, holding her as she cried her heart out for the loss of her sister. Knowing there was nothing more to be done, and wanting to give Geri and Andrew some privacy, Mr Dawson led the way back inside Dawson Manor, the rest of us quickly following suit.

Inside the house, a party vibe was going on, as music was being played loudly and quite a few people were dancing along or tapping their feet. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that Tanya would have loved this. Of course, the majority of people there remained on the sidelines, helping themselves to food and drink, or else talking quietly to each other, sharing stories about Tanya and laughing at the hijinks she and Geri used to do.

I was introduced, as myself properly this time, to many of the Dawson cousins, about half the names I forgot as soon as I met them, and I met Aunt Sue, Uncle Paul, Uncle Maly, Aunt Flo and Nana Lorna again, with Chris by my side, and all of them, besides Maly, commented on how pretty I was, and that Chris had chosen well.

"Thanks, Nan," said Chris, kissing her cheek.

"Well, you have, lovee," she said, "and I can tell that you two will make each other very happy - and will hopefully give me more great-grandchildren to see in the future."

I felt my cheeks redden at this comment as Chris, who had been taking a swig of Butterbeer, coughed and spluttered. Neither of us looked at each other as we were frozen in shock and embarrassment, but fortunately we were saved by Mr Dawson, who had overheard what his mother had said and decided to come to our rescue.

"Yes, well, let's hope that doesn't happen for quite a few years yet, eh, Mam?"

Chris and I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the uncomfortable silence had been broken, as Nana Lorna said, "Well, forgive me for wanting to see a few more great-grandchildren being born before I die, Matthew!"

"For God's sake, Mother!" Maly blurted suddenly. "We've got enough kids running around the place as it is. At least give them a few years before they start think about having their own!"

"Thank you, Maly," said Mr Dawson, clasping his brother's shoulder. Then, turning back to Nana Lorna, he added, "And don't forget, Mam, the war's been over for just over a month now, which means that Chris and Kiara have far more important things to think about right now than talk of marriage and kids."

Nana Lorna nodded to herself. "You're right, Matthew, it's much too soon for them to be thinking about such things." She then smiled at Chris and I and added mischievously, "But not too long, I hope?"

My eyes widened at her words and Maly said quickly, "OK, Mam, that's enough torturing the kids. Come on, we've got several more people to see before we head off home."

And Uncle Maly wheeled Aunt Flo away, with Uncle Paul, Nana Lorna and Aunt Sue following them. I breathed a sigh of relief once they were all out of hearing range and turned to Mr Dawson, who was looking at Chris and I with mild concern.

"Are you two all right?"

"We are now," said Chris, wrapping an arm around me. "Thanks for coming to our rescue there, Matt."

"Don't worry about it, son," said Mr Dawson, looking quite sad that Chris no longer called him dad, but understanding why all the same. Then, his expression turning to normal, he turned to me and said, "And don't you mind my mother, Kiara. She means well, and I think that was just her idea of a joke."

"Don't worry about it. We all know I've had far worse said to me," I told him. He and Chris laughed at that, Mr Dawson looking at me fondly as he moved off to talk to a nephew of his.

Geri came in not too long after this with Andrew supporting her. As soon as everyone saw her the room fell deadly quiet. Noticing the silence, Geri looked around through tear-filled eyes, and as soon as she found Sian she made straight for her, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug, making Sian stumble backwards slightly before quickly regaining her balance.

"Thank you, for speaking on my behalf about Tanya," Geri told her, once she had let Sian go. "It was beautifully done and really nice of you to do it, even though you didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to," Sian told her simply. "Besides, I saw how you were struggling and I knew that I had to do something. I just hope that it was enough, and - "

"It was more than enough," Geri reassured her, "and you were right, Tanya wouldn't want anyone being miserable at her funeral. She'd wand fun and laughter, jokes and merriment." Then, sensing that everyone was still looking at her, she spoke loudly to the room at large, "I'm serious. Come on, turn up the music and let's celebrate my sister's life in style!"

That was all anyone needed to hear. After that, the music played loudly, and everyone ate, drank, talked, danced and told stories about Tanya; even Geri got involved telling stories about some of the hijinks she and Tanya used to get up to, and laughing loudly at the jokes they used to tell, and I was just as happy as anyone else there to see Geri making some progress on her healing. I think we were all glad to see her laughing again, even if it was a bit odd to hear Geri's laughter without Tanya's accompanying it, but I knew that I would get used to it in time, as would the rest of us.

As the day wore on, Dawson Manor became madder, what with children running mad around the place and a vast majority of Dawson relatives getting drunker by the second - those that remained, anyway; many had already left due to the fact that they had babies to care for, or in the case of Nana Lorna had to get home to rest and take some medication, and just like at Sam and Ferdinand's wedding she got a lot of love given to her by the Dawsons and their relatives before she left.

During the remainder of the day, I noticed that whenever Sian would see Geri laughing and joking, a guilty expression would appear on her face, which would fade quickly whenever someone would look at her or ask her if she was OK, but as soon as they were gone or looked away the guilty look would come back. I don't know what she was feeling guilty about, but something told me that it was not about Geri's recovery progress. I made a mental note to ask her about it later.

As darkness began to fall, the Tweebs said they had a surprise for us and that we should all look outside. We approached the windows and waited patiently for a few minutes, looking out onto the grounds below, until our attention was suddenly drawn to the sky as bright fireworks exploded in the sky. This was the surprise the Tweebs had done: the highlights of Tanya and Geri's time together on earth performed by fireworks, and it was glorious. I cannot remember much of it now, but what I do remember is Tanya and Geri shown being Beaters on the Quidditch pitch, then those two wreaking havoc on Umber's structure when he took over the school with those fireworks of theirs, and we all had a laugh watching firework-Umber being chased by a firework dragon, and lastly a grinning picture of Tanya, made up of scarlet and gold, light up the night for about ten seconds before vanishing into the darkness, leaving nothing but smoke hanging in the still night air.

Talk broke out amongst everyone once the fireworks had ended, and we all spoke words of wonder, amazement and joy at what we had just seen, and as soon as the Tweebs came back, many rushed over to them to congratulate them and pat them on the back. The boys smiled at the praise they were getting, but stopped as soon as they saw Geri, who was crying tears of joy.

"That was wonderful!" she said, drying her eyes. "Tanya would've loved that. Thank you." She then hugged both boys at once, sobbing her gratitude on to their shoulders.

Shortly after this, the guests began to disperse, and Dawson Manor became a quiet house once again (well, as quiet as the manor got, anyway). Many of the Dawsons were cleaning up in the large dining room, with me helping them, when I saw Sian sneaking off. Remembering what I wanted to ask her, I left the rest of the Dawsons to it and followed her.

On the floor below I found her pacing in the corridor, lost in her own thoughts. I did not want to disturb her, yet I wanted an answer to my question. So, hoping she wouldn't walk away or yell at me, I raised my voice.

"Sian!"

She stopped mid-step and turned to face me, smiling when she saw who it was. Seeing that she wasn't offended by my presence, I smiled and hurried over to her.

"Are you all right, Kiara? Is anything wrong?"

"Oh, no, everything's fine," I said. "I was actually going to ask if you were all right."

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" she spat back defensively.

"Are you sure?" I said, studying her closely. "Only I saw you looking guilty many times during the wake, and I want to know why."

Sian sighed heavily, closed her eyes and said, "Do you think I could have accepted Ma's death sooner if I had allowed myself to be close to those who knew her, hearing the stories of her youth and hearing the jokes she used to tell, instead of shutting myself away and shrouding myself in misery?"

"What?" I said, surprised, for I had not expected Sian to say that.

"You saw Geri, Kiara, laughing at the old jokes and stories that she and Tanya once revelled in. Even her laughter sounds more natural, less forced than mine was after I lost Ma, just like her smile is more natural than mine was after Ma died. Maybe if I had been around people who knew her, heard their stories about Ma and revelled in their stories about her, then maybe it could have helped me be around my siblings and father easier and I - "

"Sian, stop this foolish talk!" I said sharply, and her eyes snapped open and widened at my words. "Yes, Geri is handling things better than you did when you lost Crighton, but this is just the first stepping stone of her recovery; it's going to take Geri a lot longer than a day for her to get back to something like her old self. Yes, hearing stories about your mother might have helped, but grieving is something that is natural and takes time, and not something that should be rushed. Besides, each of us is different, and we all handle things in our own way. So stop feeling guilty, for you have nothing to be ashamed of about the way you grieved for your mother. Absolutely nothing at all."

Sian looked at me, shock written across her face at my words, and before I could say another word, she ran at me and hugged me, and I knew that this was her way of saying thank you, so I hugged her back, trying to say that it was OK and that I would be there for her if she needed me, just as she had been there for me many times before.

We stayed like that for quite a while before Sian pulled back. We then shared a swift smile, and then Sian turned and went off to bed. I smiled at her retreating back, glad that I was able to help her, and just as I was going to head up to my room I was stopped by Mr Dawson, who was gazing at me with a proud eye.

"Thank you for helping my daughter, Kiara," was all he said.

"Don't mention it," I said, shaking my head and following Sian's retreating form.

Now as with the trials, I will not be mentioning all of the funerals because there are too many of them to go through and this chapter will be way too long, but what I can tell you is that Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, the rest of the Dawsons and I attended many funerals in the weeks that followed, usually running into a few of our old schoolmates, and once or twice we saw one or two of the teachers there (usually Professor Darbus). The other funerals were not like Tanya's; whereas hers had been full of bright dressed people and was quite fun (the wake especially), the others all involved everyone in black, followed by a lot of sadness, heartbreak and tears.

Keziah's funeral was no exception. Taking place just a couple of weeks after Tanya's funeral, Keziah's took place around the back of Malty Manor, and she would be buried in the family mausoleum. Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, the other Dawsons and I were there, of course, as were Nikita and Lincoln who, along with Kestrel, had been close to Keziah. Looking around the many Malty relatives, i saw that Professor Darbus and Professor Beadu were there, along with Kara, who came to every funeral we attended, which I think had something to do with the fact that she was Minister for Magic.

Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie. Nikita, Lincoln, the other Dawsons and I took seats at the back, as we did not want to be seen by all the Malty relatives there. As soon as everyone had sat down, someone from the Ministry got up to talk about Keziah, talking about what a good person she was, a good and loyal friend she was to those who were close to her, and that like so many others who had died in the recent battle, Keziah was someone who had left the world too soon.

Then Malty stood up and approached Keziah's coffin. There was a short pause as she got control of herself, and when she spoke I could tell that she had been crying.

"My cousin Keziah and I were close once," she began. "We did everything together as children: playing pranks on our old house-elf, running madly in the corridors and playing Quidditch together. She was never very good at it, sadly, but she gave it a good go. And when we were both Sorted into Snake-Eyes at Dragon Mort, we were both thrilled, as were my parents, and for the first three years of our school career we got along rather nicely, but by the time we got to our forth year we began to drift apart. Keziah began to grow much softer, and she didn't seem to like the same things I did. She didn't laugh at my jokes, she didn't like hanging out with me and our old friends. And then she suddenly stopped hanging out with me and my friends altogether, choosing to spend her time with people from Lion-Heart instead. My respect for her dropped then, as did that of my friends. From that moment on, we never spoke again. People in Snake-Eyes would often pick on her, abuse her, give her dirty looks or just ignore her, and when I told my parents of what she had done, they disowned her.

"And so, with her House abandoning her and her family disowning her, Keziah had nowhere to go. At least, that's what I thought, for as it turns out she did have somewhere to turn to, and that was to the Dawsons, who stood by her, gave her a roof over her head and were kind to her when others turned on her. I would often pass her in the corridors at school, seeing her genuinely happy, and hearing her laugh a truly happy, nice laugh, and not one that was cruel or forced ... I have to admit I envied her for how easy she had it and how liked she was, and I also felt guilty for how I treated Keziah, and I would have liked to have known that bright, happy, lively, funny girl, for I believe that was the true Keziah, and I am only sorry that I never got to know her the way others did.

"I wish that I could turn back the clock and tell Keziah how sorry I am for abandoning her, and that I would stand by her if she'd let me, but I can't. All I am left with now of Keziah are memories and regrets, and wonders of what could have been. I hate myself now for how I treated her and I hope that she'll forgive me. But I hope that she's happy, wherever she is, with Uncle Andy and Aunt Chantelle, and I hope that I will see her again one day, and that she'll forgive me, and I hope that I will make her proud."

Dani took a sad look at her cousin's coffin, and walked back to her seat. I did feel sorry for Malty then, for I knew how it felt to have so many missed opportunities with the ones we love the most that can never be, and all the days, and hopes and dreams that could have been that were now as vivid as a distant memory. And all around me i could hear the sounds of people sniffling at the speech she gave, Sian included, for the beauty of the simple way Dani had spoken.

After that, the Ministry witch got back up and directed our attention to the baskets that were by Keziah's coffin. Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave, Nikita, Lincoln and I joined the back of the line and we all picked up a white rose and placed them on top of Keziah's coffin, and once the top of the coffin was covered in flowers it was moved into the crypt, where it joined all the other Malty members.

Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Nikita, Lincoln, the other Dawsons and I decided not to stay for the wake, as we feared that our presence would not be welcome by all the Malty family members, but we did say goodbye to Latchna, Narissa and Dani, who were waiting for us as the rest of the funeral party traipsed back up to Malty Manor.

"That was a beautiful service," said Sian to Narissa, who was leaning rather heavily on her husband's arm.

"Thank you," she croaked.

"The words you said about Keziah were beautiful, Dani," Sian told her, "and don't worry. I'm sure that wherever she is that she's forgiven you for all your wrongdoings."

"How can you be so sure?" Dani asked, her self-loathing clear.

"Because she told me that all she wanted was for you to forgive her and mend the bond between you, but that you wouldn't let her."

"She really said that?" said Dani, surprised.

Sian nodded. "At the end of the day, all she really wanted was for you and her to get things back on track, for you two to be as close as you once were. You see, she had already forgiven you, Dani. Now all you have to do is to forgive yourself."

Tears sprung to Dani's eyes once again as she said, "Thank you for telling me that. And I'll try to forgive myself - for Keziah's sake."

Sian nodded at this, which Dani returned.

"You are all more than welcome to stay and have some refreshments and talk with the remainder of our guests," said Latchna, his free arm firmly around Dani now.

"That's very kind of you," said Kopa, "but I think it best we decline your offer. After all, with so many Malty relatives in there, and knowing how we feel about certain subjects … well, let's just say that there has been enough fighting and bloodshed to last us a lifetime - not to mention the fact that a fight would be highly inappropriate at a funeral."

"I suppose you are right," said Latchna. "Well, in that case, thank you for coming, all of you. I know Keziah would have appreciated you all being here."

Kopa nodded, and he, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave, Nikita, Lincoln and I walked away together from Malty Manor, for what we all hoped would be the last time (though I have to admit, it was nice not to be a bound prisoner in that place).

And so, many funeral we attended, some large, others small, and they were all accompanied by reporters and cameras, though they were polite enough to keep some space between us and the church or whichever place the dead were being buried. To be honest, I don't know who those blasted, insufferable reporters wanted to see more, myself or Sian, but either way they started going mad with their questions and their cameras once they had caught sight of us. It was frustrating for all of us to see, but as there was nothing any of us could do about it, we just had to suck it up.

Anyway, wherever we went, Sian and I got thanked a lot, especially at the funerals, where people we did not know would come up to us and thank us, shaking our hands; some even thanked Sian for saving their friends and relatives abroad, saying that they always wanted to thank the Girl Who Saves the World in person one day for all that she had done, and Sian would always nod humbly and say, "I'm glad I could do something good to help your family (or friend) and the world, and to defend them. It's what I've always tried to do, and even though I do not work for Global Justice any more, I will do all I can to ensure that this planet and its people are well protected, no matter how long it takes."

We also met up with many Muggles at the funeral, many of whom had been curious to meet me for some time, seeing as how their children had told their Muggle parents certain things about me, and I would say that I was honoured to have known their son or their daughter and that they should not have had to die the way they did, and yet every time I said this, to a Muggle parent or a wizarding one, a pang of guilt would cut through me like a knife, making me feel worse about myself, for I was the reason these people had fought and died, because they had put their faith in me, had given me their loyalty and died fighting for our cause, and even though Chris, Sian and Chrissie tried to tell me otherwise, as did a few other people, I knew it to be true, that it was my fault that they had died.

And there was only one person who saw it that way.

Colleen McCreevy's funeral was a quiet and beautiful affair. Apparently she had been buried with her camera, but whether that's true or not I did not bother to find out, as I thought it a nice thing for her family to do, knowing just how attached Colleen was to her camera.

Anyway, at the end of the ceremony, Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, the other Dawsons and I lined up with the other guests to say a few words to Denise and her mother, and even though I was far from her I could see that Mrs McCreevy was of around average height and was quite plump. Her dark hair was tied back from around her face, which was beginning to show the signs of middle age. Her lips were pressed together in a very thin line, and her eyes, which I could tell were normally quite kind, were filled with tears and anguish and were covered by round spectacles.

As we came up to her and Denise, she smiled at us and spotting me, turned to her mother and said, "Mum, this is Kiara Pride-Lander."

Mrs McCreevy looked at me steadily for a few moments before her eyes narrowed in anger and she said, "So … you're the reason why one of my daughters is dead!"

I heard many people behind me gasp loudly at Mrs McCreevy's comment, as Chris put his arm around me protectively and I felt a harsh, stinging pain clench at my heart. I felt guilty enough as it was for those who had died for me, but hearing someone actually blaming me for the death of their child was ten times worse.

"I'm sorry - " I tried to explain, but it was not good enough for Mrs McCreevy.

"You can't stand there and tell me that you're actually sorry, Pride-Lander, for sorry's not going to bring my Colleen back now, is it? You know, I thought there was something odd and dangerous about you from the moment I started getting letters from Colleen telling me all about you, but I kept my mouth shut, knowing that my girls had every right to make friends with whoever they wanted, but now I wish I would have said something, because you brainwashed Colleen and Denise into fighting for you, knowing full well that they could be killed, but you didn't give a damn, did you? Just as long as you had people on your side who were willing to risk their lives for the good of the cause!"

I was so shocked and hurt by her words that I did not know what to say. Fortunately, Denise came to my rescue.

"Mum, Kiara didn't brainwash Colleen and I into anything. We decided to fight on our own. We wanted to - "

But Mrs McCreevy was not listening.

"I don't care what anyone says, Pride-Lander, Colleen is dead because of you, and I will never forgive you for this! You can stand there all you like, acting all high and mighty, but deep down you know that this is your fault - that _all_ of the deaths that happened in that stupid battle are all your fault, and you have no idea what it's like to lose someone you loved so much - "

"Oh yes I do!" I spat suddenly, having had just about enough of Mrs McCreevy's vile words.

Mrs McCreevy gave a harsh, bitter laugh at hearing that.

"Really? So are you telling me that you have lost people that meant so much to you? Who you would do anything for? Who you wanted safe more than anything? Well, who is it then? Who? WHO?"

"MY PARENTS AND GRANDMOTHER SARABI!" I cried, screaming so loudly that I felt my heart break all over again by just saying it, and I saw, to my relief, that Mrs McCreevy's eyes had widened in shock and horror at my words, and it was probably her reaction that made my next words come tumbling out of my mouth without me giving any thought as to what I was saying before I said them, as once I started talking I found that I could not stop until I had said my piece.

"Are you happy now you got it out of me? I lost both of my parents and one of my grandmothers - the grandmother who was a witch and introduced me to the wizarding world, in fact - in that 'stupid battle' as you so nastily called it! So yes, I do know how it feels to lose someone you love so much! And do you really think I am so heartless as to not feel guilty for every friend I lost in that battle? Do you think I wish none of them had ever fought and died? Well I do! I feel the guilt crushing me inside each and every time I see one of them being buried, and every time a piece of me dies with them, and I would give anything for all of them to still be alive, but I can't, because that's not how life works! I sure learned that the hard way! I cry about it every night, and this man right here has witnessed it." I patted Chris' arm as I said this; then noticing Kopa, Sian, Chrissie and the others I added, "They all have, in fact. So thank you for confirming what I have thought for so long - that all those deaths are my fault. But know this, nothing you can say to me can make me feel even more worse about myself than I already do!"

And with that I stormed away from a stunned-looking Mrs McCreevy and I walked over to the wall by the gate leading into the church, where I put my hands on it and started to cry, for all the guilt I felt and the horrid words that Mrs McCreevy had said to me. I could hear the clicks and see the blurred flashes of cameras somewhere close by, but I ignored them, for I did not care for them. The only thing I cared about in that moment was that I wanted to be dead so that my parents, Grandmother Sarabi, Meers, Todd, Tanya, Colleen and all the others who had been killed in that battle, the ones who had all fought for me, for the cause and against Zira and her Love Destroyers could all get to live again.

It was then that I felt two strong arms encircle me, and I fell against Chris' chest willingly, letting all of my anger, guilt and sadness out through the tears I shed, as Chris rubbed my back soothingly, making shushing noises every so often and repeating, "It's not your fault … it's not your fault …"

Once I had calmed down enough, I raised my head slightly, dried my eyes and said, "But it is my fault that they're - "

"No!" said Chris fiercely, shaking me slightly. "I don't believe that, not for one second! And neither should you!"

"Why shouldn't I?" I spat. "Everyone who fought in that battle - "

"Knew exactly what they were getting themselves into before the fight had even begun," Sian cut across me comfortingly. "And we all knew of the price we would have to pay, and many did with their lives. Yes, Denise and Colleen disobeyed Professor Darbus' orders by coming back to fight, and it's true that Colleen did die that night, but she, like your parents and Sarabi and Timon and Todd and Tanya and all the rest that gave their lives that night not only died to fight for a better world for us all to live in, but to also help you. So don't you dare, for one second, blame yourself, because you are not at fault here."

"But Mrs McCreevy - "

"Is a woman who has just lost a daughter, and probably said some of those things out of anger," said Kopa, who was holding Kion, who was fast asleep. "She needed someone to let her anger out on, and seeing you there and knowing what she knew about you from Colleen and Denise, she took it out on you - which was unfair, I know, as you did nothing wrong, but that's what people do, I'm afraid. And don't forget, Kiara, Mrs McCreevy is a Muggle, and therefore has been rather ignorant about what's going on and doesn't understand what's been happening, which also means that she does not know you - not like we do. So you should not let her words get to you, Kiara, for you have no reason to feel guilty. I know you feel like you do right now, but in time you will see that you were not responsible for all those poor, innocent souls who helped us fight that dreadful night."

I looked at my brother, shocked by the wisdom of his words, and yet, somehow, I knew that he was right, yet I could not help the guilt I was feeling, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that it was not my fault. But I knew that in time, and with help from my friends, that things would get better. So I smiled at Kopa and hugged him, minding Kion, and I tried to tell him without words how grateful I was to him, which I think he understood, for he put an awkward arm around me and we held each other tightly for a few moments. Then, without looking back at Denise and her mother, Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, the other Dawsons and I headed back to Dawson Manor.

One of the last funerals we went to was Meers and Todd's, which took place in the church not far from Todd's mother's house (seeing as Todd's father had died many months ago, it seemed foolish to keep calling the place "Todd's parents' house"). It was a small but beautiful affair, and the guests included many of the teachers from Dragon Mort and the remainding members from the Order of the Centaur. There were many tears shed that afternoon, as we all had a lot of love for Meers and Todd, and they would be sorely missed. And what amazed me most, my dear readers, is that not one bad word was spoken about Timon, for those who spoke about him kept mentioning about what an amazing man he was, and not one word was said about him being a werewolf, and I'm sure that Timon would have been pleased and proud if he could have seen the way his old friends and colleagues spoke about him - even Mrs Todd, for there was not one ounce of shame in her voice as she spoke of her old son-in-law, and I think that Timon would have shed a tear or two, too, if he had been there.

But despite all the nice things that were said about Timon and Todd, I could not help but feel sad for their son, my Godson, who would never know his parents, but I was certain that I, like many others, would be sure to tell him what amazing people they were and what they were like when he was old enough to know and when he started asking questions about them.

At the end of the service, I lined up with the others to say a final few words to Mrs Todd, not only about her daughter and Timon, but I also wanted to apologise to her, for I was not exactly nice to her the last time I saw her.

As soon as she saw me, Mrs Todd's eyes widened at the sight of me, making me feel even worse about my behaviour that night. But I kept my head high and looked her directly in the eye, for this was something that I just had to say.

"Mrs Todd … first of all, I would just like to apologise about what happened the night Mina and I crash landed in your garden. It was unjust of me to speak to you the way I did, when you and your husband took such good care of us after our rather close encounter with Zira and her Love Destroyers. I hope that you can forgive me for thinking that you were Katalina and for almost attacking you."

Mrs Todd's eyes widened even more at my words, and after a couple of moments she said, "Well, that is most kind of you to say, your Highness. I was rather surprised when you tried to point your wand at me, but looking back I can see how easily you mistook me for my sister, but know that we are only alike in looks, nothing more."

I nodded my head slightly, feeling more ashamed of myself. Then, getting back to the question at hand, I asked, "So, does that mean that I have your forgiveness, then, Mrs Todd?"

Mrs Todd studied me slowly and carefully for several long seconds before she answered, "Well, seeing that you have saved us all, and provided a better world for my grandson to grow up in, and how close you were to my Nan and Timon, then I suppose I have no choice but to forgive you."

I could not stop the sigh of relief that escaped my lips, which Mrs Todd smiled at. Not wanting to speak any more on the matter of my actions, I then turned my attention to more current matters.

"That was a beautiful speech you gave up there. I was surprised - and pleasantly so, I might add - for last I heard you were ashamed of Timon for marrying your daughter and having a baby with her."

I tried very hard to keep my tone calm and neutral, but it was hard for me not to sound accusational. Mrs Todd noticed this, for she sighed heavily and I could not help but notice the regret that shone in her eyes.

"I won't lie to you, your Highness, that Tim and I were shocked and slightly appalled that our daughter had married a werewolf … but I think our prejudices against Timon's kind kept us from seeing the man beneath the fur. It's only been these past few months that we have seen Timon, and really seen him, as a wonderful man who would do anything for his family. The only times Nan and I didn't see him was when the full moon came or when he went to be on _Pridewatch_. Other than that he was always here, being a supportive husband to Nan, helping her through every stage of her pregnancy and, even though he had only known his son for a few days, he was a wonderful father to him, just as Nan was a wonderful mother. And now I can finally say that I am proud of the man Nan chose, and I know that Tim would be, too."

At the mention of her dead husband's name, tears sprang to Mrs Todd's eyes. My heart went out to her for all she had lost in that moment, and I had to say something.

"I'm sorry, both for the loss of Timon and Nanna, and for your husband, too. None of them deserved to die."

"Thank you," Mrs Todd croaked. She then sniffled a little, dried her eyes and said, "And I am sorry to hear of your parents and grandmother's deaths. I never met them, your Highness, but I heard from many people just how good they were, and I am sure that you will make them proud."

"Thank you," I said, touched by the honesty of her words. I then noticed my Godson, Timmy, in her arms, his hair a mousy brown colour today, just like Todd's had been when she was sad.

"May I?" I asked, nodding at him.

"Of course, your Highness," said Mrs Todd at once, and she handed Timmy over to me.

I held him carefully in my arms, watching as he studied me closely, and after a few seconds his hair changed from brown to turquoise as he smiled a wide, toothless smile and started to giggle. I smiled at his laughter, rejoicing in it.

"Hey, little guy," I said softly to Timmy, "I'm your Godmother, and though your mum and dad may be gone, I promise you that your grandmother and I will do everything we can to keep their memories alive and to tell you about them when you're old enough and want to know. And we're going to be there for you and make sure you're well taken care of and that you'll never want for anything."

I then kissed his head and looked at Mrs Todd, who was watching us with a soft smile playing on her lips. I smiled at her and said, "Babies are a gift, aren't they? Don't take this the wrong way, but even though Nanna and Timon are gone, at least they created something out of love before they died, so that whenever you look at him there will always be something there to remind you of Nanna and Timon, so you're never without them. And that's quite beautiful to think about, isn't it?"

Mrs Todd's smile widened as she answered, "Indeed it is, your Highness. Much like your little brother will remind you of your parents someday."

I turned to look at Kion, who was in Kopa's arms, and I hoped that I would indeed see something of my parents in him as he grew up. Turning back to Mrs Todd, I handed Timmy back to her, who snuggled back into his grandmother's arms quickly and comfortably.

"I know I see a lot of Nan in him right now," said Mrs Todd, more to the baby than me, "but I hope that I will one day see Timon in him, though a part of me does hope that there'll be more man than beast." She looked at me and said, "You'll be more than welcome to come and see him any time, your Highness."

"Thank you. I already plan to be a big part of his life," I said.

"Well, you are Timmy's Godmother, your Highness. It would be wrong of me to keep you from his life, seeing as you are a part of his - our family now."

I nodded my thanks and moved on, for I had said all I needed to, and I wanted to give Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave the chance to say their own words of sorrow and how much they would miss Nanna and Timon to Mrs Todd.

And those are the main funerals we went to that were the most important for me to mention. Now, I know that many of you are wondering why my parents and Grandmother Sarabi's funerals were not mentioned in this chapter, but don't worry, for they are important and they will be mentioned, but just not right now. For those funerals happened at a later date. I have my reasons, but do not worry, my dear readers, for we will get there in time.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hello, my dear readers. Listen, I am so sorry this chapter took so long. It's just that I've been super busy at work and I've been a bit under the weather these past couple of months, but I'm back now. So here's chapter 7 at last for you. Enjoy.**

 **Chapter 7**

 **The Dragon Mort Press Conference**

 **KIARA**

As June rolled into July, not much had changed for the Dawsons and I. The _Squabbler_ was still trying to get information out of Sian and I by following us everywhere we went, but thanks to the Cover Charm being back around the Manor those pesky reporters did not manage to get inside the Manor's grounds. And now that the war was over and the Love Destroyers had been locked up, there were less and less stories about deaths and disappearances in the _Squabbler_ , for which we were all grateful for hearing, for there had been too many deaths that had happened over the years, so for the papers to go back to talking about non-trivial matters was perfectly fine with the rest of us.

But just because there was no trouble happening out in the wizarding world does not mean that all was calm inside Dawson Manor. You see, I was having trouble with PTSD, and even though I was sleeping next to Chris, which provided me with some comfort, there were some nights when I would wake up with Chris making comforting noises in my ear, when I was having nightmares about the war and Zira and the Love Destroyers. For a while, this did not seem to bother him or anyone else, until one night at the beginning of July when I screamed so loud that I woke up half the house, many of whom came breaking down Chris' door, afraid that I was being attacked. Of course they went back to bed relieved that nothing had happened to me, yet annoyed that I had made them lose sleep.

Naturally, this led to Kopa, Chris, Sian and Mr Dawson confronting me about what happened shortly after breakfast the next morning. They remained at the table as Chrissie and the others left to get ready for the day.

Mr Dawson nodded to the seat next to him, which I took, feeling nervous as to what was going to be said. There was an uncomfortable silence, during which time I could only hear the twittering of the birds outside. After a couple of minutes of listening to this, Mr Dawson spoke up.

"Kiara, we are here to help you," he said gently. "We are all concerned about you and we want to discuss certain things with you."

"What things?" I asked, playing with my hands in my lap.

"Mainly about what happened last night and the help you really do need to get, Kiara," Mr Dawson explained.

"I don't need - "

"Oh, yes you do, Kiara!" Sian spat. "Chris told us that you've been dealing with the effects of PTSD for a while now, and I speak on behalf of us all when I tell you that it stops now!"

I glared at Chris then, for I felt like he had betrayed my trust by telling Kopa, Sian and Mr Dawson of my suffering behind my back, but Sian was having none of it.

"Er, don't you go blaming Chris for telling us, Kiara, for he had every tight to after what happened last night!"

"It wasn't that bad - "

"Not that bad? Kiara, I had to break down Chris' door in order to get in, because he was currently being scratched by you! Needless to say, it was a good thing that you didn't reach for your wand as Dad and I forcefully separated you from him, otherwise I shudder to think of what could have happened to us and to this house!"

I stared at Sian with disbelief, thinking that I could not have attacked Chris, for I loved him far too much to hurt him in any way. But then I watched, shockingly, as Chris stood up, rolled up his sleeves and showed me the deep red scratch marks my fingernails had created, and it was only then that I realised the horrific injustice I had done to Chris' skin, and i felt horrified and disgusted with myself.

"Chris, I-I'm so sorry!" I told him earnestly, begging him to forgive me. "I had no idea - I swear, I would never - "

"I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt me, Kiara," he quickly reassured me. "I admit, it was quite a shock for me to have you attack me, but I know it wasn't really you … but saying that, I never want to experience another night like that again."

"None of us do," Kopa added sharply.

"And that is why you are going with my father to the Ministry today, Kiara, to see one of the counsellors there, see if they can help you," said Sian.

"But I don't need - "

"Oh, yes you do, Kiara!" said Sian, in a tone that clearly said she was not going to be argued with. "You could have accidentally killed Chris last night - not to mention the fact that you scared my siblings half to death with all the screaming you were doing! You may have not used your wand last night, Kiara, but if you don't start getting help soon ... well, I think that you could accidentally do some very serious damage, and I think that we can all agree that there has been enough bloodshed over these past few years as it is!"

She was right, as always, I reluctantly admitted to myself as I decided to put my pride aside and get the help that I really deserved and needed.

"OK," I said, "I'll do it."

Sian nodded, her expression blank, and said, "Good, and I hope to hear that you have been making progress in these meetings and have not been slacking off, for all our sakes!"

"I will, I promise!" I said hastily.

"You'd better!" said Sian, glaring at me still. Fortunately, Mr Dawson decided to take pity on me.

"All right, Sian, that'll do. Kiara's had enough tongue-lashing from you for one day."

Sian looked like she wanted to argue with him on that point, but seeing how firmly her father glared at her to drop it, she reluctantly did, but not before shooting one last glare at me, after which she stood up, turned and left the kitchen, with Kopa right on her heels. Mr Dawson shook his head wearily and turned back to me.

"We had better make a start for the Ministry, Kiara. I don't want to be late."

I nodded and rose from the table. Chris got up too, kissed me swiftly and said, "Good luck today." I nodded again, smiled swiftly and followed Mr Dawson.

Now, due to Healer-Patient Confidentiality, I am afraid that I cannot divulge too much information to you on how my sessions went, I'm afraid to say, my dear readers: I am even forbidden to mention the Healer's name! But what I can tell you is that during the weeks that followed I began to make progress, and through the exercises that I performed every night before bed I slowly began to lose the nightmares that plagued my slumber every night, and as the nightmares vanished so did my night terrors, insomnia and my fear of loud noises, and after a while I plucked up the courage to go back to sleeping in my old room at Dawson Manor, which took a little bit of getting used to, as you can imagine, seeing as I had spent so long lying in Chris' arms, but by using the techniques my Healer taught me I soon got used to it, and before long I was sleeping soundly on my own again.

Now, I should mention here that the last day of June was a difficult one for the Dawsons, as it was the anniversary of Crighton's death. There was not that much noise in Dawson Manor that day, as the Dawsons wanted to be respectful to their mother, which Kopa and I understood and respected. We also did not see much of Sian that day, either; the only time I remember seeing her that day was at breakfast, where she was quiet and reserved, and she did not seem to be noticing the concerned looks Mr Dawson and Kopa kept shooting her, and once breakfast had finished she bolted out of her chair for the door, not telling any of us where she was going.

As we did not see Sian for the rest of the day, Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I started to get worried when she did not turn up for dinner that night, so after we had all eaten we decided to search the house for any sign of her. Most of us had no luck, but Mr Dawson soon reassured us that Sian was all right, for as it turns out she had locked herself away in her mother's old study at the Manor without food, preferring to grieve alone. So Mr Dawson took a plate up for her, leaving it outside the door and advising us all to leave Sian to grieve in peace.

Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I did as he asked, though I could tell that Kopa looked upset that Sian had not come to him to grieve, but nonetheless he respected her choice, knowing that Sian would face him as soon as she was ready, just as she would the rest of us.

And she did - the very next day, in fact. Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I arrived in the large dining room to discover Sian singing to herself, preparing breakfast, not caring who was watching her. When she finally saw us all gawking at her she laughed and bid us all quite a cheery good morning, then told us all to sit down. Once we were all seated, Sian remained silent, looking seriously around at all of us, and when she spoke her tone was just as serious as her expression.

"Look, I'm sorry I avoided you all yesterday and I'm sorry for not telling any of you where I was. It's just that … I wanted to be alone that day, with just my thoughts and nothing and no one to bother me. I know it's selfish, but you all know how close I was to Ma, and that's why I wanted that day alone. Besides, i do enough for you all as it is, so is it not fair for me to just have one day by myself to remember Ma on my own? Can you guys please give me that?"

Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I all looked at each other and nodded, and as we nodded not only did we forgive her, but we also made a silent agreement to not disturb Sian on the anniversary of Crighton's death. Sian, sensing this, smiled her thanks and sat down and we all started to eat, and every year since Sian has not been disturbed by anyone on the anniversary of her mother's death, respecting her privacy by not asking where she went that day (though it was common knowledge to many of us that she went to Dragon Mort to visit her mother's grave), just letting her go wherever she had to to be alone with her thoughts of Crighton, and I should also say that this was the only day of the year that Sian allowed herself to grieve for Crighton all over again.

Anyway, as we moved into July, the weather became warmer and there was barely a cloud in the sky, and the sun's beams seemed to radiate its joy and happiness within the Manor too, as it was quite a busy month for the Dawsons - a quiet, yet busy month, as almost all of them had birthdays during that month, starting with Sian's.

I was not the only one relieved to see Sian genuinely smiling and happy again that day, for I am certain that I was not alone in thinking that Sian was not going to smile again after her mother's death, but I find it amazing what the healing powers of time will do. Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I all greeted her with a cheer of "Happy Birthday!" and we all gave her a hug. Sian returned all our hugs happily, her smile infectious, filling us all with joy, warmth and love, but I think no one was happier at seeing Sian back to herself than Mr Dawson (apart from Kopa, of course), which was proven from the speech he gave that morning once we had all sat down.

"You know, this time last year I wished for nothing more than for Sian to be her normal, smiling, happy, sharp-tongued, smart-mouthed, bossy old self … but I thought that this would never be, that it was a foolish dream that would never come true, seeing as you were in such deep despair after losing your mother. I missed you so much, Siany, for though you were here, you also weren't at the same time, and I don't think you know just how much of an effect that had on us, Sian. But looking at you now, seeing what you have been through this past year, you've come back stronger, and I can finally say that I have my daughter back. So, Happy Birthday, love! Welcome home, welcome back, and even though you may have some idea of this, I don't believe you'll ever know just how proud I am of you, no matter how hard you'll try and guess."

I don't believe there was a dry eye in the room as Mr Dawson finished, and Sian stood up and hugged her father tightly, tears of joy filling her eyes.

"I love you, Dad," she said hoarsely.

"Love you too, sweetheart," said Mr Dawson, kissing the crown of her head.

The rest of the day passed happily, with Sian spending time with each of us individually for about an hour, either talking with us, playing games or else helping out with a project or two if we wished it. The evening, however, was just a time for her and Kopa, which meant, of course, that they missed the family dinner as he wanted to take her on a romantic birthday date, seeing as he wasn't allowed to the year before. When they returned home that evening, they both looked happy, and every time they caught each other's eyes, they shared a secret, flirtatious look that spoke so much louder than words.

But Sian's birthday did not end there, for she received a surprise that night from Crighton's spirit, which only made Sian happier, for as soon as she saw her she ran to her, each holding the other tightly, and mother and daughter spent the rest of the night in each other's company, which made the rest of us only too happy to see, and as much as I wanted to argue against it, Mr Dawson, Kopa, and a vast majority of the Dawson siblings included, none of us did, for we all knew just how much Sian had missed her mother; not just that, but seeing as it was Sian's birthday, we all had to push our own feelings aside and focus on what Sian wanted and what made her happy.

Needless to say, with all the birthdays involved, July practically flew by, and I could hardly believe it when my birthday arrived and I was woken by Chris' fingers running softly through my hair, and when I opened my eyes I found his own looking back at me with such love and tenderness that it took my breath away. He then kissed me chastely, whispered, "Happy birthday, Kiara," and left my room.

I had one of the best birthdays that year. Grandmother Sarafina, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank, Carol, Mina, Sam, Ferdinand, Perdy, Geri and Kara, to name but a few people, had come to Dawson Manor to celebrate my birthday lunch, seeing as Chris was taking me out on a romantic dinner date that night. Several people at the gathering commented on how well Kion was doing, for not only was he growing remarkably fast, but he was walking quite a few steps (though he appeared to be stumbling more than he was walking - the same with running). I smiled at the praise he was getting and the happiness I felt that day. And yet, despite the fact that it was my birthday and the happiness I was feeling, there was a feeling of sadness in the air, which very much had to do with the fact that three of my favourite people in the world were not there.

I missed Grandmother Sarabi and my parents so much. At night I would open the music box that my grandmothers had made me for my birthday the year before, and I would cry myself to sleep most nights, thinking about the days that I would never get to share with my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, and of all the happier days I had spent with them, and I often found myself wishing that I would give almost anything to be with them again. My birthday present from Grandmother Sarafina that year turned out to be Grandmother Sarabi's favourite necklace, which was a gold chain with a shiny piece of amber in the centre, which Grandmother Sarafina promised Grandmother Sarabi that she would pass on to me if anything ever happened to her, and I have worn it every day ever since.

During August, Sian and Kopa kept trying to persuade me to start making preparations for my parents' and Grandmother Sarabi's funeral, but I would always say no, stating that it was too soon to say goodbye to them. Sian and Kopa would try to persuade me to do it, with Sian often telling me that no one is ever ready to say goodbye to their loved ones, but that it had to be done - the sooner, the better, but I still was not convinced. I felt that I was not ready, that I needed more time. But it was not until one night, a couple of weeks before the first of September, that I had a dream that made me change my mind, and it just so happens that this dream took place the night before the Dragon Mort press conference happened ...

 _I was back in the field that I dreamed of when I was a child. It was a beautiful day: the birds were singing, there was a gentle breeze in the air and I could smell the fresh scent of grass and wild flowers all around me. I closed my eyes as I spun around, relishing in the sense of freedom and peace I was in, as the sweet scents of the fresh air and nature filled my nostrils._

 _"Kiara!" cried a nearby voice suddenly._

 _Opening my eyes, I saw my father in the distance, the sun gleaming off of him so that he looked slightly blurred in the sunlight, like one of God's golden angels had fallen from heaven. It was only when he stepped forward that I saw him smiling with his arms wide open. Smiling widely, I ran to him as fast as I could and embraced him tightly, never wanting to let him go._

 _"I've missed you so much, Daddy," I whispered, even though there was no one around, my voice muffled against his chest._

 _"I've missed you too, sweetheart," he replied, kissing the crown of my head lightly._

 _We pulled back from each other then, smiling as we walked over to a blanket that was placed on the grass. We sat down upon it and sat in silence for a while, just focusing on the weather and the fact that we were together again, which I was more than happy to do._

 _Then my father spoke._

 _"So tell me, Kiara," he said seriously, looking at me, "why haven't you arranged the funerals for myself, your mother and mine?"_

 _And just like that, all the good feelings I felt when I first saw him were evaporated, and at the same time the sounds of the wind and birdsong seemed to vanish as the air turned more serious and darker. I turned to face him then, and found him gazing seriously at me, his expression quite stern. I blinked back tears and stared at the ground, finding that I could not look at him when he was looking at me like I was a disappointment to him, and I continued to stare at the ground as I spoke._

 _""I don't want to talk about it, I'm sorry."_

 _I hear my father sigh as he said, "I know it's hard, Kiara, but we've got to - "_

 _"But why? Why do we have to?"_

 _"Because you have a responsibility!" he said angrily. "Not just to your family, but to your country and your people, also! And by continuing to neglect postponing what you don't want to do, you're letting many people down - myself, your mother and my mother included!"_

 _"But Daddy, I - I'm not ready!" I said earnestly, my voice shaking for the first time, both from fear and from the tears that were starting to fall down my cheeks. "I don't think I'm strong enough to say goodbye … not any more … not after everything …"_

 _"Yes you are, Kiara!" said my father earnestly, turning me to face him, holding my face in his hands._

 _"How do you know?"_

 _"Because after everything I've seen you go through with Zira, I know that you are by far braver and stronger than you know and think," he said, looking at me tenderly. "And listen," he went on, his expression much more gentle now, "no one is ever ready to say goodbye to those they love - heaven knows I wasn't - but it's all a part of the circle of life, you know. We born, we live, we die, that's the way of it. And I know you don't want to do it, Kiara, but you've got to. The curse can only be lifted once Zira's been defeated and the Princess returns to the Pride Lands, after all. It has to be done, Kiara, and the sooner, the better."_

 _"But … I'm so scared," I said quietly._

 _"I know you are, sweetheart, but you have to do this, for it has to be done. And when you do, you won't be alone, for you'll have your friends, and Chris, and Kopa, and Kion and Sarafina and the others with you, and my mother, your mother, your grandfather and I will be with you, also. So don't give in to your fear, Kiara. Don't let her keep winning in death."_

I woke then, sitting straight up in bed, panting hard. Placing my hand over my heart, I thought over all my father had said, and I knew that he was right. It was time to put things right and take responsibility for my country, no matter how hard it was going to be; for I knew what I had to do, it was just doing it that was the hardest part of it all …

Anyhoo, Professor Darbus ordered the conference to take place a couple of weeks before the school reopened so that students and their parents would be made aware of the changes to the school; also, Kara, as acting Minister for Magic, had some things she had to announce, things that were being kept quiet until the conference, things that no one, apart from those few who were close to Kara, knew about. Not even Mr Dawson knew what they were.

The Dawsons, Kopa and I had all received invitations to the event, with a note saying that it was a black tie event, which I did not know much about, only that it was very fancy and formal, and so we all got new dress robes for it. Also, Sian got a nice little surprise, for Professor Darbus wrote to her and asked if she would like to do a speech. Of course, she agreed, and for about a month after that we could hear Sian, who spent the majority of her time locked away in her room, constantly writing and rehearsing what she was going to say, which was quite annoying to live with, but we all let Sian get on with it, knowing how much of a perfectionist she was.

The conference itself was being held at night on the seventeenth of August, as there was to be a special event that would be a tribute to all those who had given their lives in the war at Dragon Mort. When Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and I arrived, we were met by Nikita and Lincoln, who had both been invited too, and were glad to see us, just as we were glad to see them, though I could not help but notice that Kestrel's smile did not quite reach her eyes when she saw how close Nikita and Lincoln were standing.

Mina greeted us all warmly, pulling Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I individually into bone-cracking hugs. We followed her quite gingerly, Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa, Nikita, Lincoln and the other Dawsons following. I could see that we were heading to the river, where a few rows of chairs had been placed close to the spot where Crighton's tomb was, with a podium facing the chairs. As we got closer I could see that the chairs were filled with Ministry personnel, including Kara, many reporters and journalists, including, much to my chagrin, Peter Meter, and Perdy, Sam, Ferdinand, Kat and Geri and the Dragon Mort staff filled the front seats. As soon as they saw me, the photographers raised their cameras and started clicking them like mad, but I ignored them all, keeping my head held high and facing the front as I took my seat, something I was beginning to get rather good at.

Once all the seats had been filled, Kara stood up and marched up to the podium. Silence fell as every eye was turned on her, even those of the photographers and reporters from the _Prophet_ and the _Squabbler_. There was a moment's pause, then Kara began to speak, her voice magically magnified due to the magical microphones in front of her.

"Welcome, teachers of Dragon Mort and honoured guests. Tonight, we are here to announce the grand reopening of this great school, along with going through some other things with those we lost in the war, along with a few surprises along the way. But we'll get to those later. For now, though, I shall hand over to Professor Deidre Darbus, the new Headmistress of Dragon Mort Magical Academy, who will explain some of the changes that have happened, and are going to be happening, inside Dragon Mort's walls."

Kara returned to her seat as Professor Darbus stood up and walked to the podium, receiving a smattering of applause as she walked up there. I could see that her hair was tied back in its bun as usual, and she was dressed in tartan robes for the occasion.

"Thank you, Minister," she began. "As you have all heard, I am the new Headmistress here at Dragon Mort Magical Academy, and I hope that I will do the position justice.

"Now, there are quite a few changes to the school this year, which the governors and I have been discussing for the past few months. The first of which is that the abominable Dark Arts class will go back to being Defence Against the Dark Arts, which is a great pleasure to all of us I am sure, and Muggle Studies will continue to be compulsory to those in the third year and above, and the teaching style will go back to being the way it was before the Love Destroyers took over.

"The governors and I have been discussing at length what is to happen to the students considering Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies, seeing how both subjects were changed drastically last year, and we have finally come to the conclusion that all students will have to learn the things they should have learned the previous year as well as this year, which means that students will have to attend weekend classes so as to keep up with the work. We have done this so that all students coming back will not have to redo a whole year over.

"Corporeal punishment is hereby disbanded. The reason for this is because the punishments the Love Destroyers gave to students were barbaric and cruel; so Mr Match, I am afraid you will have to lock away your whips and chains, as we no longer have any use for them, and I sincerely hope that this is the last time such cruel measures will be given out as punishments. From now on, detentions with staff will be punishment for students, helping staff however we teachers see fit, along with point reductions and talks with the Head of House.

"To make sure that present and future students remember and know those who all died in the battle here, a new painting has been done with each person who died painted on it, and a plaque with all the names of those that are featured in the painting with be placed under it, and both the painting and the plaque will be hung on the wall where the door to the Room of Needs is, seeing as we are unsure about the state of the Room as it was damaged from the effects of Fiend Fyre and we do not know - and nor do we wish to know - what state the Room will be in.

"There will also be a tribute paid to Susan Crighton for all that she has done for this school, but I believe I am talking to the wrong person about that, so I will let her eldest child, Miss Sian Dawson, to be the one to talk about Susan and this school."

Professor Darbus took her seat again as Sian stood up and marched to the stage. Once behind the podium, she took out a roll of parchment out of a pocket of her robes, unrolled it and, staring at a spot over our heads, she began to read.

"I could tell you all many things about my mother, Susan Crighton, many of which we now all know," she began. "But I think the most obvious one of all is how much she loved this school. She always belonged here, even when she was at the Manor with the rest of our family I could tell that part of her was still here and wanted to be here. That isn't to say that she wasn't a bad mother. Far from it, in fact, for I think her love for her family and her love for Dragon Mort were the same. Maybe that's why, for many years, I wanted to be a teacher here, and that's not just because I wanted to be close to my mother, though that was an added bonus, I'll admit.

"Anyway, because of my mother's love and dedication to this school, and how much love and life she gave to it, we decided to give something back; and, after much discussion with the governors and Professor Darbus, we have agreed that a bronze statue will be made and put in the Entrance Hall, so that present and future generations of students will know about the greatest headmistress this school has ever had."

There was a smattering of applause at this, and once it had quieted down, Sian continued, "I believe one of the greatest things my mother ever taught me was that anything is possible if you have love and that you use that love to fight, and because of that, look at where we all are now! Now we can live in peace and are free from Lady Zira's evil reign of tyranny, which means that we can do whatever we want. We can shape this world the way we want it to, by standing up, shaking the ground and making a great deal of noise, for it only takes one person, you know. One person can be the difference between a victory and a defeat, but one person can also change the world if they have the guts to speak out, for this is our time! And change begins with us! Thank you."

There was a great deal of applause for Sian as she took her seat again: Mr Dawson and Kopa both kissed her (individually) on the crown of her head, pride shining in their eyes. Sian looked both proud and rather humble at this, but I did not have much time to dwell on this as Professor Darbus took to the podium once again.

"I am pleased to announce that there will be three members of staff starting in a few weeks. The first will be Erica Babbling, who will be taking care of Muggle Studies. Next, I am pleased to say that, taking over Defence Against the Dark Arts is Arthur Wearing; and finally, seeing as I am Headmistress, it means I can no longer teach Transfiguration, but I have found the perfect person to take my place, and seeing as she has her own department at the Ministry to take care of things for her, that means that she is more than willing to take care of Transfiguration for me; but if she gets called back to the Ministry for anything, I will be more than happy to step in for her, she only has to ask. So, would you all please welcom Hermione Weasley to our school."

Everyone applauded, and most turned to face Hermione as she stood up shakily and gave us all a brief smile of thanks that was as shaky as her legs, before she was helped back into her seat by Harry and Ginny.

All eyes then turned back to Kara, who had taken the stand behind the podium again, and everyone fell silent at the serious look on her face as she began to speak again.

"As much as this is a celebration of Dragon Mort's reopening, we have to remember how and why it ended up being partly destroyed and rebuilt, and that is because, as we all know, of the terrible damage Lady Zira and her Love Destroyers did, not to mention Zira's vendetta on Princess Kiara. Now, none of us are blaming the Princess for that, because it is Zira's fault, along with Love Destroyers, for what happened to Dragon Mort, but that does not mean that we cannot pay respect to Zira's body (if any deserves to be given). After all, she did die like all mortals in the end, and therefore deserves to be buried.

"Now, the school's governors, Professor Darbus and I have talked long and hard about where we could dispose her body. At one point, we even considered burning Zira's body, but that was quickly dismissed. In the end, though, we came up with this solution - "

Kara raised her wand and gave it a sharp flick for the to the far back. I and many others twisted around in our seats to see what was happening. From the light from the torches on either side of the rows I could see that Kara was making a wooden coffin (made of yew wood, as I would find out later) move towards her. The coffin was painted black and had strange carvings on it, symbols that I could not understand, and I knew that Zira was inside it. As it moved steadily along, I saw that people were backing off from the coffin slightly, as though they were afraid that Zira would suddenly spring out of it, pick up her wand and start shooting Killing Curses at us all.

"Don't worry, she's very much dead, we made sure of it," Kara called from the stage, making most of us laugh, easing our discomfort, if only slightly. Once the coffin reached the front, Kara gave her wand another flick and the coffin stopped moving, simply hovering there. Every eye was fixed on it, until Kara started speaking again, making us all look at her.

"Now, I had Sian and her sisters come here earlier today to help me with the coffin, which is what all the strange markings around it are about, for they come from their powers," Kara explained. "It has also had Water Replenishing, Anti-Breakage and other protective Charms and spells put upon it, to ensure that no one will try to find and break open her coffin so that they could try and bring her back to life.

"And now, to send Lady Zira to her final resting place …"

Kara flicked her wand again; the coffin turned and hovered steadily towards the river. Kara then jumped off the stage and followed the coffin, holding her wand aloft. As this was happening, we all turned in our seats to see what was happening, some even standing up to try and see better, and I could hear the clicks of cameras, along with just seeing the flashes that accompanied the clicking just out of the corner of my eye.

As Kara approached the water's edge, she stopped, flicking her wand again so that the coffin, which was directly over the river's smooth, black surface, stopped moving. It hovered there for a few moments, then Kara waved her wand and the coffin fell, hitting the water with a heavy splash, and it was immediately engulfed by the black water, where it sank to the bottom of the river, never to be seen again.

Once the coffin had gone, I felt the air ease up, as a tension I never knew existed up until that point evaporated, and everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that we would all never get to see Zira again. To be honest, I was just as happy that the coffin was not open as it had come down the aisle, as I had had more than enough experience of seeing Zira's face for a lifetime, and I was more than happy to never have to see it again.

People were now sitting back down, or were else turning back to face the front as Kara made her way back on to the stage, standing behind the podium once more. Surveying us all again, she began to speak once more.

"Now, I do not want any of you to worry about if we disturbed any of the Merpeople or any of the other magical creatures that live in the River, as Professor Darbus and I spoke to the Merpeople about it yesterday and, with Professor Winds as translator, we managed to get across what we wanted to do and asked the Merpeople for permission, which they granted, which is precisely why the giant squid has not flung it straight back out again.

"And now that's all out of the way, could I ask Princess Kiara, Christopher Rickers, Sian Dawson and Christina Dawson to join me up here on the stage, please?"

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I all looked at each other, surprised, but we did not question Kara's motives as we stood up, making our way carefully to the aisle (so as not to step on anyone's toes), moved up the aisle and walked on to the stage. We stopped when we were close enough to Kara, who smiled at us proudly.

"I have to be honest, even though I knew that Princess Kiara was the one destined to save us all from Zira, there was a part of me that thought of it as a fantasy, a dream, despite all the faith I had in her, as I think many of us did. But through all the trials and tribulations that came her way, her Highness and Chris, Sian and Chrissie, who helped her to defeat Zira, came out on top in the end, rid us of the monster and saved us all from being part of a world that I am sure none of us would have wanted to live in. So it is thanks to these four wonderful, brave people that we are all free, and for that we have to thank and honour them."

And then Kara turned to the four men behind her, each of whom held a small, velvet black box, which she took individually from each of them and handed them to each of us in turn. Opening mine, I saw a large, round golden object attached to two thin pieces of purple ribbon, and on the metal was my name, under the words _ORDER OF MERLIN, FIRST CLASS_. I gasped and looked at Chris, Sian and Chrissie, who all looked as shocked and pleased as I felt, as Kara went on.

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, these four wonderful people have been awarded with the Ministry's highest accolade for their services to the Ministry, to their country and to the world, which I think we can all agree that they deserve after all they have endured. We at the Ministry give Princess Kiara and her friends these, not only with our thanks, but also with the Ministry's apologies for how we have treated both their families over the past few years."

Kiara looked at Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I earnestly as she said this last part, and we all eagerly nodded, for we had argued enough with the Ministry as it is. We then had our pictures taken individually with Kara before we went back to our seats with vigorous applause, and I found that both Mr Dawson and Kopa were watching us proudly.

Darkness had completely fallen by this point: the sky was painted inky black and was sprinkled with thousands of glittering stars, and the torches were burning brighter than ever in the darkness. Seeing this, Kara stood back behind the podium and surveyed us all seriously.

"As you all know, we are here tonight to not only announce the official reopening of Dragon Mort Magical Academy, but to also honour those who gave their lives in the war. True, the tapestry does that, but I believe that we should all do something for them tonight, right here, right now, and to do that I am going to pass you all a tea candle, which I want you to light and then place on the River's surface so that it may float. But as you are lighting your candle, I want you to think of the person you are lighting it for, as each candle represents a soul that was lost. It is all right if you think of the same name as someone else, as it shows that you care, just as long as you think of a name of someone we lost. So, grab a candle and let's light them up!"

We all took a candle from Kara and went to the edge of the river. I took out my wand and pondered on who I should light it for, when it came to me almost instantly: Grandmother Sarabi. I turned to Kopa, who was stood right next to me and was staring at me intently. I wondered who he was going to light his candle for, so I asked, "Is it OK if I light this candle for Grandmother Sarabi?"

"Of course," he said, nodding. "I understand why and I don't mind. You two were close, after all. I'm going to light one for our father."

I nodded, then noticed the second candle he was holding. My first thought was that he was holding it for Sian, but looking up I saw that she had her own; and seeing as no one else was going to come and collect the other candle, I decided to ask him about it.

"Why do you have two candles, Kopa?"

Kopa blinked, looked down at the two he was holding, then he looked back up at me, smiling slightly as he said, "Oh, it's for Kion. I thought it would be nice if I could light one for him, thinking of Mum as I light it, so then all of our relatives will be thought of."

I smiled sweetly at my brother's thoughtfulness, but then my expression turned sombre as people started lighting candles and putting them on the water. Of course, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all thought of Crighton; Sam, Ferdinand, Kat, Perdy and Geri all thought of Tanya; Narissa, Latchna and Dani all thought of Keziah; and the staff, Ministry workers and others all thought of the friends and family members they had lost ever since Zira came back. And yes, Kopa and I lit our candles too, with me thinking of Grandmother Sarabi, and he thinking of our father and mother (for Kion) as he lit his, then placing them on the golden flowing river of light.

Once all the candles had been sent on their way down the river, there were some tears and many comforting hugs shared, which were accompanied by the sounds of clicking from the photographers. I figured that this should be the end of the night and that we'd all be on our way home shortly … but a deep, nagging doubt stopped me, and thinking of Grandmother Sarabi and my parents as I lit the candle and talked to Kion, and the words my father had said to me in my dream came back to me, and I knew that I had to make this right. So I quickly spotted Kara and ran to her.

When I was close enough to her so that she would hear me, I asked her, "Kara, would it be all right if I use the podium to make a quick announcement?"

Kara, who had been watching the candles float away, looked at me, surprised by my question, but she recovered herself quickly and said, "You may."

"Thank you." I then ran to the podium, leapt on to the stage, stood behind the podium, took a deep breath and said loudly, "Could I have everyone's attention for a moment, please?"

At once, all eyes turned on me, and cameras started clicking like crazy, but I ignored them all, choosing instead to focus entirely on Chris, who was looking at me with curiosity and confusion, as were everyone else; but I ignored all the strange looks I was getting, for I had to say what was on my mind, so I focused on my words as I looked at the people down below.

"I hate to take the spotlight away from this night, and I am sorry to do that, but I have to say this. You see, when I was thinking of the person's name I was lighting my candle for, I thought of Grandmother Sarabi, and I thought of how I have done a terrible disservice to her and my parents for not saying the final goodbye to them sooner. But now it is time for me to put things right and to break the curse that has blackened the Pride Lands for far too long, which is why, a week from today, the funerals for my parents and Grandmother Sarabi will be held in the Pride Lands. That's all I have to say. Thank you."

And with that I got down from the stage and marched directly over to where Kopa, Chris, Sian and Chrissie were waiting for me, ignoring all the flashing cameras and questioning reporters, wanting nothing more than to be in Chris' warm embrace, regardless of propriety and protocol.

As soon as I was close enough, I ran to Chris and pulled him to me, letting his warmth and his scent comfort me. We held each other for a few moments before Chris pulled back slightly. He looked at me concernedly and, brushing the hair out of my eyes, he asked me, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded. "I have to. Like I said before, it's time for me to put things right, and holding a funeral for my parents and Grandmother Sarabi seems like a good place to start."

Chris nodded, smiling proudly at me, kissing my forehead. I then looked at Sian, who was smiling and nodding at me, and then at Kopa, whose eyes, so like the eyes of our father, were surveying me with such pride that I thought I would cry from such a strong, loving gaze.

Chris let go of me then as Kopa took a couple of steps closer to me. He then touched my cheek gently and said, with nothing but pride for me in his voice, "You're doing the right thing, sister."

I looked at him directly, a smile flickering on my lips as I said the only words I could think of.

"I know."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **Back to the Pride Lands**

 **KIARA**

When I looked in the _Squabbler_ the next morning, I was pleased to find that most of the front page was dedicated to the reopening of Dragon Mort, and that it was not all about the focus of my speech about me wanting to say the final goodbye to my parents and Grandmother Sarabi in the Pride Lands, though that was also on the front page, it just wasn't made as big a deal of as the school, which is how it should be.

Now, just like at Dragon Mort, news spread around the wizarding world quickly, and two days after the reopening of Dragon Mort, Kopa and I received an invitation, accompanied with a Portkey, to meet the South African Minister for Magic. Knowing what this was about, and that we could not refuse, Kopa and I quickly said farewell to the Dawsons, leaving Kion in Sian's capable hands, and grabbed hold of the Portkey, which was an old, flaky branch.

I immediately felt a familiar jerk behind my navel, like an invisible hook and line had dragged me forwards as soon as I had touched it. Kopa and I were pulled into nothingness, spinning uncontrollably, my finger glued to the Portkey as my brother and I hurtled away from Dawson Manor, and within seconds my feet landed on something hard, with such force that I stumbled slightly, but fortunately Kopa managed to steady me. Once I regained my balance, I smiled gratefully at him and looked around.

Kopa and I were in the South African Ministry of Magic, at the far end of a long room. Stone paved the floor and white marble gleamed all around the walls, seeing as that's what the walls were made of, in the light from the artificial sunlight that was streaming in through two large windows at the far end of the room, which were opposite each other, with a fireplace situated in between them, with a fire burning brightly within. Directly above the fireplace hung a tapestry of a red tree in front of a gold background, and above that there was the symbol of the Pride Lands: a circle joined together, but one half was the sun and the other half the moon.

In the centre of the room there was a long table that was almost the length of the entire room, where two men were currently sat, conversing with each other quietly; by one of the windows stood a tall, proud black woman, her arms behind her back, surveying whatever scene the artificial windows were showing her. As soon as Kopa and I had landed, however, the woman spun around and the two men stopped talking, stood up and turned around to face us. All three of them were smiling, and as they came towards us I studied them carefully.

The woman was tall and walked with a strong, proud, confident air. She had long arms and legs and a long face that showed hollow cheekbones, a long nose, pencil eyebrows and eyes that were large and deep. The colour of those eyes were black and looked to be quite sharp and fierce, but they showed no hostility towards my brother and I right now: indeed, they were bright and kind, her full lips spreading in a wide smile. Her hair was tied back in a high bun on top of her head, which did not do anything to cover up her beautiful black, tightly-curled, afro-like hair.

I then turned my attention to the two men. The first was of average height. He had dark hair that was combed back sleekly with not a hair out of place. He had a long, pointed face, short, narrow black eyes and a beaky nose, with round spectacles perched precariously on the bridge of it. His blue and black robes were surprisingly clean forhow long he had them that they looked almost new, and I noticed that with each step he took that his robes made little _swishing_ noises, sounding like the gentle flapping of bird's wings, and I also saw that his posture was so stiff that it looked like he hardly ever bent over properly or moved his body regularly.

The second man was very different to the first. He was long and lanky, his arms so long that they were almost touching the floor, but that was because of how his back was curved. He had a long face and a furrowed brow, which did nothing to cover his tiny black eyes, which sparkled with happiness and just a touch of mischief. He had bushy eyebrows, a long beard and a tufty mass of hair, all a shocking shade of white, but the top of his head was completely bald. The bridge of his long nose was painted in stripes of blue, red and white, which spread on to his cheeks. His robes were free and flowing and seemed to be sewn together, suggesting he had sewn them, and were covered with much dust and dirt, as were his shoes, and in his left hand he held a long stick that had two big orange coloured looking fruits that seemed to make a maraca-like sound whenever they moved tied near the top. I figured that this man must be a shaman.

I had no idea who any of these people were, though the woman did look familiar to me, but I knew that I could trust them. Looking at Kopa, I saw him smiling widely in recognition of the two men, happy to see them again. When they were close enough to us, the woman and the two men stopped and the woman spoke.

"Welcome, your Majesties," said the woman, curtseying as she spoke, the two men also bowing, though I saw that the first man's bow was stiff and proper, and a little pompous, reminding me a little of someone, though I could not think of who it was. Kopa and I curtsied and bowed in return, and the three people before my brother and I immediately straightened up, as did we, and the woman continued.

"I am Minister Engelbrecht, the South African Minister for Magic. I hope your Majesties will excuse me for creating a Portkey that brought you straight to this room rather than the entrance to the Ministry, but I thought you would prefer to avoid the crowds and the attention."

Kopa nodded. "We did, indeed. My sister especially. Thank you."

Engelbrecht inclined her head. "It is no trouble, your Majesties, no trouble at all. Now, allow me to introduce to you these fine people who you might not remember, your Majesty," she said to Kopa, "but they remember you - both of you, in fact. The first is Mr Zazu Hornby, the royal advisor, who will attend to your schedules once you are both safely home within Pride Castle's walls."

The man, Zazu, bowed again, a little too formerly in my opinion, and it was then that I detected a pompous air about him, making me think of Perdy Fang, making me stifle a giggle at the thought. I did not say any of this, of course, as Kopa and I bowed and curtseyed again, but I could not help but notice how pompous he was when he spoke.

"Your Majesties, it is an honour and a privilege to see you both alive and well again, just as it is to serve you. Although," he added, narrowing his eyes and scrutinising Kopa, "I have to admit that I am rather disappointed in you, Master Kopa, on how you let your poor parents believe that you were dead for so long! Did you never think about how much pain they were in, or did you not think about them at all?"

I could not believe the nerve of this man, speaking to my brother that way! Did he not understand that Kopa had to make everyone believe he had died to stay alive? And I was not the only one who was unhappy with Zazu's choice of words: Engelbrecht looked cautiously at him, and the second man glared and hissed at him reproachfully, but Zazu ignored them, and continued to glare at my brother. I looked at Kopa then, who looked like a child who had been caught in some kind of wrongdoing. I did not like seeing him like this, so I told him, glaring at Zazu all the while, "Don't listen to him, Kopa. He doesn't know - "

"It's all right, Kiara," said Kopa heavily, raising his head and standing tall once more. He then looked Zazu directly in the eye and said, "I understand why you are angry and disappointed in me, Zazu, and I know you are hurt that I did not try to get in touch with you, but remember that Zira and her followers were too close to the Pride Lands, and that if I had got in touch with you, then she and the Love Destroyers would have found and killed me, along with my foster family. So therefore I had to hide in order to protect everyone I care about, as well as myself.

"But you should know that in all the time I was gone, not once did I forget about you, my parents and my grandparents, Zazu, for you were always on my mind, and I wanted to come home as soon as I had learned that Zira had fallen. But then my parents got put in prison, and some of Zira's most dangerous Love Destroyers were still out there, so I had to remain hidden, but that does not mean to say that I don't regret not letting my parents know that I was alive and well before they died, for I do. I only hope that they can forgive me for that wherever they are now.

"And speaking of forgiveness - Zazu, I know that I have hurt you and many others by making it seem like I was dead all this time, but I hope that you can see now how necessary it was, and that I only did it to stay alive, so therefore I am hoping that you can forgive me. You were always good to me as a boy, Zazu, and I am going to need your advice and council, just as my father did - and my grandfather, too, for that matter."

I could see in Kopa's eyes that he was desperate for Zazu to forgive him. Looking at Zazu then, I saw that his expression had softened slightly, but I could tell that he was thinking carefully about Kopa's words. Then, after about a minute, Zazu smiled and bowed again.

"Of course I forgive you, Sire. And may I just say, I am glad to see you alive and well, and I look forward to helping and advising you in all matters."

"Thank you, Zazu," said Kopa, relieved, as he returned the bow. Zazu then stood up and turned to me, and I am sure that both his expression and voice became softer as he spoke to me.

"Ah, Mistress Kiara. You were a truly beautiful baby. I remember the day your parents found out they were expecting you, my dear, and I had not seen them that happy in a long time. Of course, when they told your brother, he was not as excited about the idea of him having a baby sister. I believe his exact words were "girls are sucky"."

I could not help but glare at Kopa then, who had suddenly found his feet rather interesting. I then focused my attention back on Zazu as he continued.

"But then, of course, your brother disappeared, and only ten months after you were born did that … monster put that scar on you. Your parents were distraught by the news; I had never seen them so upset before." Zazu shook his head solemnly, his expression pained. Then he raised his head, his expression becoming happier as he said, "But now, after everything that has happened, I am pleased and proud of the woman you have become, Mistress, as would your parents; and may I say, you look so much like your mother."

I smiled, curtseyed again and said, "Thank you, Zazu. I look forward to working with you and I hope that your advice will come in handy for the future."

Zazu's smile became broader as he bowed. When he stood up straight again, he said, "I shall also be teaching you both, as well as Miss Sian Dawson and Mr Christopher Rickers."

Kopa and I looked at each other, surprised, unaware of this. Looking back at Zazu, I said, "Er - teaching us? Like … lessons?"

Zazu's eyebrows rose alarmingly at my questions, and he squawked, sounding astonished, "Yes, your Highness, lessons! They will, of course, include learning various languages, etiquette and the history of the kingdom, along with various other things you might have missed while growing up away from the Pride Lands."

 _Oh great_ , I thought annoyingly; but, wanting to be polite, I covered my annoyance as best I could and said, "I look forward to learning whatever you have to teach us, Zazu, and I hope it will help me remember some of the tings Grandmother Sarabi taught me."

Zazu looked surprised again, but this time I am sure it was because he was impressed. "And just what did Mistress Sarabi teach you, Mistress Kiara?" he asked curiously.

"Muggle things, like literature, science, art and music, various languages, a bit of etiquette, both social and table, and she also taught me how to ride a horse. Of course, there are some things that I am sure I have forgotten, seeing as it has been seven years since my last lesson with Grandmother Sarabi, but i am sure that i shall remember well with your help, Zazu," I told him, smiling slightly.

Zazu's smile widened and I felt his respect for me grow, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Kopa was astonished by what I had learned. I felt proud of myself at eliciting these reactions, but I focused on Zazu as he spoke again.

"This is indeed most impressive on your part, Mistress Kiara. I am looking forward to seeing what type of student you make."

I nodded, smiling, but I remembered something important when I told Zazu I could ride.

"Um, Zazu? I was wondering if my horse from Britain could be transferred here. He's been my horse for so long, you see, and I made a promise to him that I would find him and get him back as soon as the war ended - the first part of which I kept, seeing as he is now living in the stables at Dawson Manor, but I would very much like it if he could live here, for I wouldn't feel right riding a different horse."

Zazu studied me long and hard for a few moments, then said, "I'll see what I can do, Mistress."

Knowing that this was the only answer I was going to get on the matter for now, I just smiled and nodded. Zazu nodded back, then said hastily, "Oh, and I am terribly sorry about what happened to your parents, both of you. They truly were two of the best people I have ever known."

I felt my throat close up at the sentiment, the pain still too real for me, too fresh; I looked up at Kopa then, who also seemed to be struggling with a lump in his throat. Once he had cleared it, he told Zazu, "Thank you. That's very kind of you to say."

Zazu gave him a curt nod and said nothing more. Engelbrecht then introduced us to the second man, who was beside himself with joy.

"This, your Majesties," said Engelbrecht, "is Rafiki Lunanga, the Shaman for the Pride Lands."

He bowed at us respectfully, and I curtseyed as Kopa bowed. When we had righted ourselves, Rafiki approached us, smiling and laughing as he walked, his eyes sparkling with joy.

"He-he-he, what a day this is! I am so happy to be seeing you both again!" Looking at my brother, he smiled fondly and said, "You've grown into quite the man, Master Kopa. I have watched you grow from afar, as has your grandfather, and we are both pleased and proud of the man you have become, and I know for a fact that your father is, too."

"You do?" Kopa asked, sounding as surprised as I felt at hearing this. "How?"

"I converse with their spirits regularly, you know. And may I just say, the Eldest Dawson Girl is a fine woman for you. After all, the Girl Who Saves the World is one who any man would want."

"I know that, Rafiki," said Kopa, "but I don't love her for her abilities, though they are an intriguing part of her character. No, I lover her for what is in her heart and all that she is, and I will make sure that she knows every day just how much she means to me."

Rafiki smiled and nodded at Kopa, perfectly satisfied with his answer. He then turned to me, and his smile broadened as he took me in.

"Ah, Mistress Kiara! The last time I saw you, you were only a baby, who fit into my arms so perfectly." He turned his face away for a moment, a soft reminiscent smile lining his features. Then, quite suddenly, he snapped his gaze back on mine and exclaimed, "And now look at you! All grown up! I can barely get my head around it!"

"You saw me as a baby?" I said, not knowing what else to say.

"Well of course I did!" said Rafiki incredulously. "I have christened many Pride-Lander children - which reminds me, I am going to have to christen your brother, Prince Kion, soon, but we can discuss that at a later date."

I nodded, knowing that this was non-negotiable.

"You look so like your mother, Mistress Kiara, just as Master Kopa looks like his father," Rafiki went on. "I am sorry for the both of you for losing your parents, as it was cruel that your time with them was so short-lived, but they are both extremely proud of you and will always be watching you, as will your grandfather and Mistress Sarabi, and I am sure that Young Master Kion will know of what amazing people they were, too, once he's old enough to understand."

"Thank you, Rafiki," said Kopa. "And don't worry, Kiara and I will make sure that our little brother knows about our family."

Rafiki nodded. "Good," he said, pleased. Then turning to me he added, "And may I just say, Mistress Kiara, how good a man you've got. I don't think your parents could picture you with anyone else. I am quite looking forward to meeting Mr Christopher - and Miss Sian, of course."

I blushed at his comment, but I was pleased that he approved of Chris and Sian, so I said, "Thank you. Kopa and I will be sure to pass on your kind words. But we are not here to talk about Sian and Chris, are we?"

"No, we are not," said Engelbrecht, drawing our attention back to her. She nodded to the table and we all sat around it, with Engelbrecht at the top, Kopa and I on her left and Rafiki and Zazu on her right. Once we were all sat, Engelbrecht spoke again.

"Well, I think we were all surprised to hear the rather sudden announcement of the funeral of your parents and grandmother, you Highness," she said to me. "Not to mention the rather short amount of time we have to prepare everything." She paused, then said, "Are you sure you want the funerals to go ahead this week, your Highness? Perhaps you would like more time to - ?"

"No!" I interrupted quickly, my voice quite harsh; Engelbrecht's eyebrows rose at my rather rude interruption, as did Kopa, Rafiki and Zazu, who was looking at me quite disapprovingly. Wanting to rectify the situation, I took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, but no, I do not want to waste any more time saying goodbye to my parents and Grandmother Sarabi than I have already. Saying goodbye to those we love is never easy, but it has to be done, and the sooner it is done, the better. Oh, and I do not want to split up my parents' funeral and Grandmother Sarabi's. I want to be able to say goodbye to the three of them at the same time."

Engelbrecht studied me closely. "Are you sure?" she said after a few moments.

"I am," I nodded.

Engelbrecht then turned to Kopa and asked him, "And what about you, Master Kopa? Do you agree with your sister's wishes?"

Kopa looked at me, searching my face for any sign of doubt. Not finding any, as I was certain I had a stubborn, determined look etched on my face, Kopa nodded, looked at Engelbrecht and said, "If that's what my sister wants, then who am I to say no."

Engelbrecht nodded. "Very well, then," she sighed. Then she became more serious as she continued, "Seeing as there is a lot to plan and there is very little time for us to waste, I suggest we start planning …"

And plan we did. Kopa and I pitched in ideas when we thought of something: Kopa wanted Sian to sing _Amazing Grace_ before the ceremony began, and I wanted little media attention there, as I did not want cameras flashing when saying goodbye to my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, which Kopa readily agreed with. Both of our suggestions were agreed with without argument, for which Kopa and I were both grateful.

For the most part, though, Kopa and I were quiet, listening to what Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu had to say. Rafiki, of course, would be conducting the ceremony; he asked us if, at any moment, we would like to say a couple of words, but Kopa and I both refused, saying that what he said would be plenty.

Zazu then went through protocol with us, talking about what we should say and how we should act in the public eye, and how we should handle talking to those who had lived in the Pride Lands before, including those who had worked in Pride Castle. This went for those people Kopa and I knew were coming to the funeral, too, and as much as Kopa and I tried to argue that this was not necessary, Zazu overruled our arguments, and rather annoyingly so, saying, "I'm sorry, but this is how it must be done."

Engelbrecht told Kopa and I that she would be discussing the Ministry's role with us once we took control over the Pride Lands, as we had covered enough for one day, and Kopa and I were in no mood to talk about politics at that time, and so it was agreed that that discussion should be left until after the funeral, which Engelbrecht agreed with. Kopa and I then said farewell to Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu, and then we got a Portkey to take us back to Dawson Manor.

Naturally, the Dawson were all curious about what had happened to Kopa and I in the South African Ministry; we were bombarded with questions, but all Kopa and I said was that we has to meet up with the South African Minister about the funeral for our parents and Grandmother Sarabi. Most of the Dawsons were not happy with this brief explanation, but Chris and Sian, sensing that we did not want to talk about it, came to our defence at once.

"Guys, Kopa and Kiara are organising a funeral for three of their relatives, and if I were them I would be feeling emotionally exhausted by now, so we should therefore respect their privacy," said Sian.

"Exactly," said Chris, "and we should wait until they are ready to tell us what happened to ask questions. Until then, we all keep our mouths shut."

Many of the Dawson siblings looked like they wanted to argue with Chris and Sian, but one of Sian's death glares was enough to not only make them shut up, but to also make them avoid Sian's all-knowing eye. Sian nodded at her sibling's submission, a smug smile curving her lips at seeing them react to her in such a way. She then turned to Kopa and I and smiled more kindly at us, which we returned. True, I did not agree with Sian's methods at keeping her siblings quiet, and nor did Kopa, but we were both emotionally exhausted at that moment to argue.

As the rest of the week passed, Kopa and I were called back to the South African Ministry in order to straighten some things out, and two days before our parents and Grandmother Sarabi's funeral was to take place, we were asked to bring Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Sian, Chris, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave, and our little brother Kion, along with us, so that Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu could meet them, so that they could see what kind of people they were.

Of course, Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu took their time with Chris and Sian, seeing as Kopa and I were dating them. They asked them many questions about what was most important to them, how they would care for the people, what they would do for the country and the wizarding world, along with a few questions about Kopa and I, and needless to say I think Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu were all pleased with the answers they gave.

When they spoke to Chris, Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu were impressed with his desire to do good in the world and to do right by the people, including protecting them as best he could and to listen to what they had to say; and when it came to me, Chris found my gaze and kept his eyes locked on mine as he spoke of how much I meant to him, how he would do everything he could to care and protect me, and how he would never stop loving me and would try to show and tell me how much he loved me as often as he could.

Sian, naturally, charmed Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu almost from the moment she started talking to them. Seeing as she was the Girl Who Saves the World, there was no question of whether she would protect the people and do right by them, seeing as she had been doing that practically her whole life. As for Kopa, her eyes and voice spoke volumes of love and devotion for him, as she said that she would always stand tall and proud by his side and to support him in every decision he would make, and to offer him guidance whenever he needed it.

Once the meeting was over, Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and the other Dawsons were told to leave the room and wait outside, so that Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu could talk to Kopa and I in private. As soon as the door had closed, Engelbrecht spoke.

"I have to say, the Dawsons are a rather interesting family. So many different personalities. I can see why you like them so much."

"Indeed," said Zazu, "but we have to remember that they are the children of Susan Crighton, so we should not be too surprised by their gifts and their goodness, really."

"Zazu's right," said Rafiki, nodding. Then, turning to Kopa, he said, "I must say, the Eldest Dawson Girl is exactly what the world and our kingdom needs. She is smart, brave, and beautiful, knows much about the world, and I can tell that your parents loved her."

"I agree," said Zazu, smiling proudly at my brother. "No matter what part of the world she's from, I think we can all agree that she will make a wonderful queen one day, along with being a great symbol for greatness and justice."

"Absolutely," said Engelbrecht, nodding and smiling.

"Thank you," said Kopa, nodding humbly.

"And as for Christopher Rickers," said Zazu, his smile fading slightly, "he has a lot to learn just yet about the affairs of the kingdom, but he has the potential to learn. Hmm …"

"Oh, don't be so stuck up, Zazu," said Rafiki sternly. "He's a good man. He fought hard in the war and loves the Princess more than anything. That should be enough for us for the time being."

"I do not doubt his love for Princess Kiara, Rafiki," said Zazu pompously. "I am merely saying that the poor boy probably doesn't know the first thing about these lands or the monarchy or how to act around - "

"Then we shall teach him," said Engelbrecht suddenly, "hard and well. But let us not dwell on hat for now. Personally, I see him as a fine man for Princess Kiara, and I have no doubt that he will help and support her as she will him."

"Thank you," I said.

Engelbrecht nodded. Zazu looked like he wanted to argue, but seeing the fierce glare Rafiki gave him, he decided to drop it.

Not wanting any more arguments to start up, I said quickly to Engelbrecht, "Is everything ready for the funeral, Minister?"

"Yes, my Lady, everything's set up," she said. "Rafiki's got all the herbs he needs and is already setting up the pyres for your parents and Lady Sarabi; the invitations have been sent out and Portkeys have been made, with arrival zones and Apparition points set up, along with around five hundred tents being procured and sent to camp sites close to the funeral points as we speak."

"Good," I said, nodding, pleased that things were going ahead smoothly.

There was a short pause, then Kopa said, "Well, if that is all, I think we've left the Dawsons for long enough."

"I agree," said Engelbrecht. "We shall see your Highnesses in two days, then."

"Yes, you will," said Kopa. Then Engelbrecht, Rafiki and Zazu bowed, and I curtseyed as Kopa bowed in return, before we all stood up and my brother and I were on our way.

The next day was quite a busy one, as it involved packing so that we could move to the Pride Lands, but Kopa and I had much more to do than the rest of the Dawsons, as neither of us would be coming back to Dawson Manor after the funeral: Sian and Chrissie both agreed to help out with packing up Kion's things, which were being moved separately, all thanks to some of Engelbrecht's people.

All I carried with me was a rucksack, which held my clothes, makeup bags and hairbrushes. Before I left my old room at Dawson Manor, I took one last look at it, and I felt sadness well up within me, as a single tear trickled down my cheek, as the realisation hit me that I would no longer be staying here any more. But I quickly brushed the tear away as I closed the door, for I would grieve for leaving Dawson Manor as a home later that night.

I went downstairs and followed Sian out the front door and walked over to where the rest of the Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Joey, Alison, Little Ali, Kopa and Kion were standing. When I reached the bottom step, I turned and looked back at Dawson Manor, knowing that this would be the last time I would look at it. I surveyed it long and hard, wanting to preserve every single detail in my memory, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking round, I saw that it was Kopa, who was smiling sadly at me.

"Come on, the Portkey's almost ready," he said.

I nodded, took one last lingering glance at Dawson Manor, then followed my brother to where the Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Joey, Alison and Little Ali stood, all of them holding a long, old, withered branch, which glowed bright blue just as Kopa and I touched it, Kopa readjusting his hold on Kion as he did so.

We were transported immediately in a whirl of wind and colour from the beautiful, warm, sunny British day, to the dreary, grey barren wasteland that was the Pride Lands. We all swayed into each other as we landed, but Chris helped steady me as I regained my balance, for which I was grateful. I then looked at Kopa, who was currently being vomited on by Kion, and as disgusting as this was, I was glad that that was the only sign that Kion had been affected badly by travelling by Portkey. I tried to offer Kopa a reassuring smile, though I think it came out more like a grimace, as I turned around to try and see what lay ahead.

As the sky was a dark, miserable grey, I could not see much in the distance; even the flaming torches that were set at certain intervals did little to help with visibility, but I could just make out shadows moving about, setting up tents.

Seeing as there was nothing more I could distinguish, I turned back to look at the Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Joey, Alison and Little Ali, who had all righted themselves and picked up their bags, just as Engelbrecht came into view, smiling warmly at us.

"Welcome, your Highnesses," she said, curtseying to Kopa and I; I curtseyed and he bowed in return, then we all stood again and Engelbrecht turned to the rest of our party and continued, "And friends of their Royal Highnesses, welcome also! Seeing as you are all friends of the Prince and Princess, and as you have given them hospitality, you have special access to the royal tents. Follow me, please."

We all looked at each other, curiously interested about what makes the royal tents different to the ordinary wizarding ones, then Kopa readjusted his hold on Kion as he and I quickly led the way, following Engelbrecht's path, staying in the middle of the path that was lined by flaming torches, their flames flickering in the chilly wind.

As we walked, I heard some stumbling and scuffing of shoes on the uneven ground, and even I almost fell over once or twice, but fortunately Kopa was always there to lend a steady hand for me to lean on, for which I was grateful, and as the Dawsons, Mr Rickers, Joey, Alison, Little Ali, my brothers and I entered the campsite, we all had to be very careful of where we stood, as there were tent pegs, ropes and feet everywhere, but still following Engelbrecht's back as she strode towards our destination.

As Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Kopa and Kion, Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Chris, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave, Joey, Alison, Little Ali and I walked along, we did not pay much attention to the people around us, as we knew that there would be a time to say hello to people later, for all we cared about at that moment was getting to our tents. I pulled my cloak tighter around myself as I walked, wanting to try to keep myself as warm as possible in the frigid environment.

On and on we walked: I could hear the grumblings and groanings of the Dawsons behind me, not that I could blame them, for I wanted to be warm just as much as they did. Eventually, though, we came to a spot where two large, scarlet and gold coloured tents stood, larger than all the other tents in the area, surrounded by Aurors who were stood on patrol. We all followed Engelbrecht past the Aurors and into the first of the tents.

I could not help the gasp that escaped my lips as I looked around, and judging by the reactions of the Dawson party behind me, I could tell that they were all just as impressed as I was. This tent was unlike any other wizard tent I had ever been in. I could tell at once that this one was the girls' tent, for it had a more feminine appeal to it: a vase full of roses stood on the round table in the centre of the room, and around the canvas walls there were pictures of African wildlife, from lion cubs to jumping gazelles, all moving, of course. A long kitchen area was at the far end of the tent, and a fireplace was opposite the spiral staircase, with a fire already blazing merrily within. Looking more closely at the staircase, I could see that there were doors placed at even intervals, and something told me that behind those doors were our bedrooms. The tent smelled of roses and lavender, and of some distinct earthy aroma that I could not put my finger on what it was. But only one thing was clear to me: it smelled like home.

Engelbrecht turned to us all and said, "Welcome to the royal tents! If you have not figured it out already, then yes, this is the girls' tent. The doors that you see lead to rooms for each of you, with the Eldest Dawson Girl's being at the very top, and yours, Mistress Kiara, right next to it, which is the same with your rooms, too, Master Kopa and Mr Rickers. All your luggage has already been moved into them, and I hope that you will all find your rooms suitable enough. If any of you ever need anything, just speak to one of the Aurors outside and we'll see what we can do.

"Lunch will be served to you shortly by the old hands of Pride Castle. They may not have worked there for many years, but never fear, their culinary skills are still good. And with that, I shall leave you all to settle in, and I shall see you all at the funeral tomorrow night. Good day to you, your Highnesses."

Engelbrecht then bent into a deep curtsey, which led Kopa and I to bow and curtsey respectfully too. She then stood upright, as did my brother and I, and left the tent. Once she had gone, the boys left to check out their tent, while Sian, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Alison, Little Ali and i all climbed the spiral staircase to check out our rooms.

Just like Engelbrecht said, my room was right next to Sian's, with hers being the final room at the top of the staircase. I opened the door and stepped inside.

It was a large, grand room, with turquoise-painted walls and a fireplace with a fire cracking merrily inside it that was opposite a four-poster, king-sized bed, with scarlet sheets and golden pillows laid out neatly on it. An ornate rug lay on the floor, the crossing patterns made up of earthy browns and greens, and at the foot of my bed stood my luggage. I nodded to myself as I looked around, pleased with the room I got.

The rest of the day was spent settling in, unpacking some of our things and trying not to think about what was going to happen the following day, when my parents and Grandmother Sarabi's bodies would finally be laid to rest. As much as I did not want to think about it, I found myself hoping and praying that I would be strong enough to make it through tomorrow, and everytime I thought that it took everything I had in me not to cry. Kopa, Chris, Sian and Chrissie would catch me trying not to cry often that day, and whenever this would happen, one of them would put an arm around me, and they would all give me a reassuring smile, which I returned, knowing that with the people I loved most in the world at my side that I would be strong enough to face anything the world threw at me.

I went to bed that night trying hard not to think about the following day, but I had a nightmare about Zira killing my parents again, but then their spirits rose up from their bodies and told me just how much of a disappointment I was to them, and no matter how hard I begged and pleaded for them to stop the just kept on tormenting me, saying things like, _"You will never amount to anything,"_ and, _"Sian would make a far better daughter than you"_.

I woke up screaming and crying, and even though I knew it wasn't real, that it was just a stupid dream and that it didn't mean anything, seeing as I already knew how proud my parents already were of me, I could not help but feel hurt and upset by the stupid, meaningless, twisted words my parents had said in the nightmare. I lay awake for most of the night after that, crying, not only because of the nightmare and what I was going to have to do tomorrow, but because I also mourned for Dawson Manor, of the house that I would never be able to stay in after I took up my responsibilities in the Pride Lands, and both my tears and the strong, whistling wind blowing outside the tent sent me softly back to sleep.

The following day was spent meeting and greeting those people who would be attending the funeral that night, preferably inside the tents as it was so cold outside. Of course, there were old members of the Order of the Centaur there, people from Dragon Mort, including Professor Darbus, Professor Beadu and Mina to name but a few, Nikita and her grandfather, Lincoln and his mother, Xion, (but I guessed that they were there for my benefit more than that they knew my parents, for which I was grateful), Sam and Ferdinand, Perdy and Geri, and many people from the South African Ministry of Magic, and Ministers for Magic from across the globe were there too. I was surprised that so many people were there to say goodbye to my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, but then again, they were royaly, so I should not have been surprised, really. I suppose I was just shocked that so many people cared about them more than anything else.

Towards the evening, I found myself sitting with Chris, Sian and Chrissie in the girls' tent, all of us wearing robes of deep red with gold trimming embroidered on the cuffs and hems, seeing as red is the African colour of mourning. Kopa was currently with the Aurors, and Mr Dawson was with Mr Rickers, Joey, Alison, Little Ali, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave in the boys' tent, making sure everything was in order.

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I were currently seated around the table, a cup of tea in all our hands, Chris' free arm around me, all of us consumed in our own thoughts. I kept on trying not to think about what was going to happen, for I knew that if I did that I would not be able to stop, but Chris' arm around my shoulders was giving me the strength I needed to keep myself together.

I do not know how long we sat there in silence like that, until Chrissie blurted out, rather suddenly -

"Hey guys, if you could change anything that's happened over the past few years of our lives at Dragon Mort, what would it be?"

Chris, Sian and I were all caught off guard by her question, and when we looked at Chrissie, we found her watching us quite seriously. I looked at Chris and Sian then: Chris seemed to be deep in thought, whereas Sian was looking at Chrissie suspiciously.

"Why did you ask that? And why do you want to know?"

"Just curious," said Chrissie, shrugging.

Sian frowned as she picked up her cup and took a long sip of tea, clearly thinking hard. After a short while, she placed her cup back on the table and said, "Well, if I could change anything from my time at Dragon Mort, I would not have agreed to the Time Turner, knowing now what trouble it was to use."

Chris, Chrissie and I were all shocked by Sian's answer, for we knew how much her education and her desire for knowledge and learning mattered to her.

"Really, Sian?" said Chris, surprised. "But you love to learn - "

"I know," said Sian, smiling sadly, "but after that year I never took the beauty of sleep for granted again."

Chris, Chrissie and I all nodded, for we saw how cranky she had become through lack of sleep that year, and how different a person she had become because of it. Then Chrissie grinned widely and said, "Yeah, but the way you stood up to Triphorm was brilliant, though."

Sian rolled her eyes at Chrissie's comment, saying nothing, but Chris and I could not help but grin along with Chrissie, for a long forgotten memory of Sian standing up to Triphorm after she had foolishly called her an "insufferable know-it-all" came to the forefront of our minds.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

"That was pretty good."

"I know, right? It was brilliant!"

Chris and I laughed along with Chrissie at her comment, laughing because it was true. Sian, however, looked more embarrassed than amused by our laughter, so she turned to Chris, looking rather annoyed and asked him, "So, what about you, Rickers? What would you change?"

Chris quickly sobered up as soon as Sian said that, looking embarrassed himself, which Sian smiled cruelly at; Chrissie and I stopped laughing then, watching Chris intently as he searched for his answer. Then, after several long minutes, he spoke.

"I would change dating Dena for as long as I did," he said, his eyes locked on mine as he said it.

"Really?" I said, taken aback by his answer, for I had not expected him to say that.

Chris nodded, smiling. "Yes, I really would have," he said. "If I had known how well we'd get on when we first started dating, I would have broken up with Dena weeks - maybe even months - before I did, if it meant that I could spend more time with you."

I was rendered speechless by Chris' words, for not only did I not imagine receiving such a revelation from him, but I was surprised by how sweet his response was. Blinking back tears of joy, I told him, "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. Thank you." I then leant in and kissed him, pouring all my love and gratitude I had for him in that moment into it.

When the kiss ended, Chris grinned at me for a moment, then turned to Chrissie and asked, "So what would you change, Chrissie?"

"Hmm." Chrissie tapped her index finger against her cheek, clearly deep in thought, then her eyes widened suddenly and she said, "I would not have dated Larry. Dating him has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever done."

"If by "stupidest" you mean "one of the stupidest things", then I agree with you," Sian said smartly.

Chrissie shot Sian a glare, which she ignored, as she went on, "Well at least Kiara got to see you acting at your most stupid before you started to see sense the day you ate those chocolate cauldrons that were spiked with love potion - though I do wish I had been there to see it."

"Really, Sian?"

"What can I say, Chrissie? Any chance that I get to see you acting like an idiot is a highlight of entertainment for me, which will always guarantee to make me laugh whenever I see a repeat in my mind."

Chrissie's glare darkened, which unfazed Sian, who sent her a taunting smile in return. Chrissie shook her head angrily, huffed, turned to me and asked me much more calmly than she appeared to be "And what would you change, Kiara?"

I raised my own cup of tea to my lips at that, taking a long sip of tea as I thought carefully. My first thought was that I would have done something to stop Georgia from dying, but I quickly ruled this out as ridiculous, as it was foolish of me to keep blaming myself for her death, not just for the fact that it was not my fault, but also for the fact that neither Georgia nor I knew of the terrible evernts that were going to happen after we touched the Triwizard Cup. But thinking of Georgia's death made me think of the others who we had lost over the past few years, and quite suddenly the answer to what I would change came to me in the blink of an eye ...

"Pumbaa's death," I said, so quietly that Chris, Sian and Chrissie didn't hear me.

"Sorry?" said Sian, looking as lost as Chris and Chrissie did.

"I would change Pumbaa's death," I said again, but making sure that my friends heard me. "I know I can't change how he died or stop his death from happening,," I added quickly, as Sian looked like she was about to interrupt me, "but what I'm saying is that I would try and think more carefully about going to rescue my parents in the Ministry, if I could go back and change how I acted after I saw the vision Zira gave me."

Chris, Sian and Chrissie said nothing. I looked down at my cup, thinking about Pumbaa, about how much I did not know about him, and of the possibility that, if he had lived on, I could have learned more about him and about all the adventures he, Mum, Meers and Abster had had when they were at Dragon Mort together. I felt disappointed that I did not know him as well as my parents and others had, for he seemed nice, and I think we would have got along well.

I was then surprised when I felt three pairs of arms surrounding me, comforting me. My surprise lasted for only a moment, for I quickly recovered and hugged Chris, Sian and Chrissie back, basking in their warmth, love and the comfort they gave me, and I knew, with them by my side, that I was going to be OK, and that I was never truly alone as long as I had them with me.

It was not long after this when the lights of the flaming torches changed from flaming orange to blue, which meant one thing, and one thing only.

It was time for me to say goodbye to me parents and Grandmother Sarabi.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **The Funerals**

 **KIARA**

Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I were followed by Kopa, with Kion in his arms, Mr Dawson and the rest of the Dawson party, with more witches and wizards joining us, making the line thicker and bigger as we walked, following the path the flaming blue torches made. I could not help but notice as we walked along that our shadows were flickering rather ghostly on the ground, making me think of the very uncomfortable experience Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I had when the four of us had attended Madam Nicola's Deathday party, for our shadows were flickering as they had back then. True, it had been a rather unpleasant experience for us to have, but something told me this was going to be far worse.

On and on we walked, following the torches until we came to a hilltop where three pyres stood close together, each one with a body laid upon it: on the first was my father, the middle was where my mother's body lay, and Grandmother Sarabi was on the final funeral pyre, and all three of them were wearing red robes with golden trimming at the hems. Rafiki was there too, standing behind the pyres with his head bowed as though in prayer, wearing red robes like the rest of us. As we approached, he lifted his head, opening his arms in welcome to us all.

Kopa, Kion, Chris, Sian, Chrissie, the rest of the congregation and I stood in a large circle around the three pyres, all of us making sure that there was enough space between us and the pyres so that none of us would get burned. Rafiki then turned to Kopa, Kion and I, and we took this as our cue to join him, so we went to him and stood on either side of him, Kopa readjusting his hold on Kion as he did so.

Once I was next to Rafiki, I looked down and saw Grandmother Sarabi's face, beautiful even in death, and as I looked at her all the pain came back, along with the unanswerable question: why did she have to go now? Of course I knew that I would have to say goodbye to her someday, but I did not expect that day to come quite so soon. And yet, here I stood, wishing for more than anying that she was still here so that I could lose the pain that Grandmother Sarabi's death had caused me, for hadn't I already suffered enough? After all, losing both of my parents in one blow was one thing, but losing the woman who had raised me as her own daughter was by far more painful than I ever could have imagined, and I could feel my eyes beginning to sting with unshed tears, as the reality of where I was and why I was here finally hit me.

Once Kopa and I had taken our places, there was an impenetrable silence: nothing moved, no one seemed to even breathe; even the wind decided not to blow, leaving a still chill in its stead. After what seemed like hours, Sian finally stepped forwards. All eyes turned to her as she focused on the three pyres, opened her mouth and began to sing.

 _"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound_

 _That saved a wretch like me,_

 _I once was lost, but now am found_

 _T'was blind, but now I see_

 _"T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear,_

 _And Grace, my fears relieved_

 _How precious did that Grace appear_

 _The hour I first believed._

 _"Through many dangers, toils and snares_

 _We have already come_

 _T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far,_

 _And Grace will lead us home._

 _"And Grace will lead us home."_

Once Sian had finished, she took a step back, taking her original place in the crowd. The only sounds that could be heard were those of people sniffling or else blowing their noses, clearly moved by Sian's voice, for she had sung with such heart, such soul, such compassion that her sadness, for the day as well as her own, could be heard in every note, making everyone believe every note she had sung. I turned to Sian then, smiling gratefully at her; Sian just smiled back and gave me a humble nod, then turned her attention to Rafiki, as did I, who had began to speak.

"T'ank you, Sian, for that beautiful, heartfelt rendition of Amazing Grace. I am sure their Majesties would have appreciated it.

"Today we say goodbye to three great people, great not just from the power of the Crown, but also great for how they were as people.

"Mistress Sarabi was a kind and gentle soul who was always willing to lend a hand to those who needed it, yet also had a fire in her that would spring to life to protect or defend someone, or else when she had an important point to make. She was a woman who loved her family, and when the old King, Mufasa, her husband, died, Mistress Sarabi was heartbroken, even more so when she learned of the supposed death of her son. But when she learned that her son, Master Simba, was alive, she was overjoyed, as you can imagine, to learn that he was still alive, and she helped him to become the king that she and his father always wanted him to be, helping him through Master Kopa's disappearance, offering her son advice when he needed it, supporting her son through every important decision he had to make, and most importantly, offering a home for Mistress Kiara to live in to keep her granddaughter safe.

"King Simba and Queen Nala were kind and fair rulers who were well loved and respected by all who knew them, besides their enemies, of course. The Queen supported her king in every decision he had to make, offering him her advice and her council whenever he was in need of it, as well as giving the King her strength when things got tough, like when their son, Master Kopa, disappeared. But they were also known for having a good sense of humour, and quite a cheeky, mischievous side to their personalities, making each other, along with their close friends, laugh with ease.

"But their Majesties have also faced difficult and troubling times like everyone else: the disappearance of Master Kopa, the King and Queen having to give their daughter, Princess Kiara, over to their mothers in order to keep her safe, and being framed for murder. But their Majesties never lost hope that they would one day be free (even if they did achieve their freedom through rather unconventional means), for not only did the fact that they knew they were innocent keep them sane, but the love for their daughter and the hope that they would see her again soon one day gave them courage also.

"Lady Sarabi, King Simba and Queen Nala were loved and respected by their friends, family and those who supported them, and were also feared by those who stood against them. The three of them were kind, firm and fair leaders who were always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it, along with being fiercely loyal to their friends, to their family and to their people, and they would do anything to protect those who needed their help. Their Majesties were also brave, courageous and true people, who died far too young and too soon, but they died knowing that they were fighting for a better world for us all to live in. We all shall commend them for their bravery, and miss them with each passing day, but I know that their children shall miss them more than most of us will and already do, and rightly so, for it is such a shame that the years the Prince and Princess could have had with them were torn apart so cruelly."

I could not hold my tears back any longer as Rafiki said those words, and I let them flow, unashamed in my grief, uncaring of who saw me, for even though I knew that I was the Princess of the Pride Lands and therefore I had to show an example, did that also mean that my feelings did not matter, and that I was going to have to hide my emotions behind a mask for the rest of my life, only showing how I truly felt when I was with my family in private? If so, then people were very much mistaken! I felt more than saw the vast number of eyes of the congregation look at me, but I ignored them all, choosing instead to focus solely on my brother, as he was the only one who I felt understood what I was going through. Turning to him, I found him looking at me, his eyes concerned and sad. I shot him a tearful smile, which he returned, and then we both turned our attenrion back to Rafiki, who had started talking again.

"It is sad to know that the Prince and Princess shall never again feel the warmth of their Majesties' love for their children, along with their brother, Prince Kion, never getting to know his parents and witch grandmother, but it is slightly reassuring that they will always be with their three children and grandchildren in spirit, and will be watching over them always, along with Lord Mufasa, who is just as proud of the Prince, Princess and Young Prince as their parents and Lady Sarabi are, despite knowing that Prince Kopa has been alive all this time, and none of them knowing about it until now."

"Really?" said Kopa, surprised, as Rafiki's eyes found his.

"Really, your Highness, they are proud of you, for you not only helped save your sister, but you also came back and showed yourself when you had no other choice, when you could have so easily stayed in the shadows for the rest of your life. But you, like your sister, did the right thing, and that is why your parents and grandmother are proud of you - of _both_ of you, I should say."

Kopa and I looked at each other again then, sharing a more happier smile this time, knowing that our parents and grandparents were proud of us for what we had done to destroy Zira and all the evil she and her Love Destroyers had done. We looked back at Rafiki as he spoke again.

"None of us will ever forget their Majesties, nor the good that they have done. We shall all remember their bravery, their courage and their kindness, along with how fiercely loyal and protective they were to their friends and family until the very end. We shall honour and respect their Majesties for what they did, and I hope, as do we all, that their children will never forget them, and that they will continue their legacy and will strive to do what's right for the Lands that they will protect, the people who live in them, and for anyone who deserves their trust and their friendship, and I know that the Prince and Princess, and indeed the Young Prince, will continue to make their parents and grandparents proud in all that they will do."

There was silence following Rafiki's speech, broken only by the occasion sniffle, sob and blowing of a nose. Rafiki then bowed his head in silence and the rest of us all followed suit. We stayed like that for about a minute, and during that time I prayed for my parents and Grandmother Sarabi, hoping that wherever they ended up after they died that they were happy and at peace, and that I would make them proud, along with hoping that they weren't too angry with Kopa for deceiving them all those years.

Once the minute was up, Rafiki bent and picked up a leather bag that I had never seen before that was full of crushed herbs and flowers. He then took a pinch out and sprinkled some on my mother's pyre first, then sprinkled another pinch on my father's pyre, and a final pinch was then thrown over Grandmother Sarabi's body.

Rafiki then turned to the sea of red before him, holding out the bag, and I watched Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol all step forth and sprinkled a pinch of whatever was in that bag over my parents and Grandmother Sarabi's bodies. Grandmother Sarafina then did the same, starting with Grandmother Sarabi's body, then my father's and finally my mother's, but she paused before sprinkling the mixed herbs on to her body, moving around to my mother's face, stroking her hair and whispering softly, "I love you, my darling girl, and I hope you are happy." She then kissed my mother's cheek and sprinkled the pinch of herbs over her.

Then it was Kopa's turn. He did not go for the bag straight away. Instead he kissed Grandmother Sarabi's temple, kissed our mother's temple, telling her that he loved her, and then he walked over to our father's body, readjusting Kion in his arms, who was sleeping soundly now. Looking down at our father, Kopa placed his free hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry that it's taken me this long to reveal myself to you, Mother and Grandmother Sarabi, Father, but please know that I never meant to hurt any of you by hiding away and deceiving you all those years. I am truly sorry.

"I had hoped that when I had revealed myself to you that you would all be alive, but then things never usually go the way we plan them, do they? But I want you to know that I never stopped thinking about you, or Mother or Grandmother Sarabi, Father. Not once. And as soon as I learned that I had a sister, all I wanted to do was run back to the Pride Lands and meet her, but I had to remain where I was to keep myself, and you, all safe. Please understand and forgive me for that.

"But now I've met my sister, as you know, and I couldn't be more proud of her. She's a lot like you, Father, and we will make you proud. And I promise you, we will do our best to raise Kion with love and happiness, and we will make sure that he will never forget you. I love you, Father. Sleep well."

Kopa then grasped my father's shoulder tightly, then went to Rafiki and took two pinches each (one for himself and one for Kion) for each body, then took his place by our father's head, Kion still held securely in his arms, looking at me, and I knew that it was my turn.

I did not want to do it, but what choice did I have? So I took a deep breath for courage and then, somehow, managed to put one foot in front of the other, going to my mother first.

"Goodbye, Mum," I whispered softly, kissing her temple. I then moved to my father, kissing his temple and softly saying, "Goodbye, Daddy. I love you." Then I moved over to Grandmother Sarabi, and it took everything I had in me not to break down again as I said, "Thank you for looking after me all those years, Grandmother Sarabi, and for everything you've done for me. I will never forget you and will always love you."

I then kissed her cheek before moving to Rafiki, taking a pinch of the mixed herbs with shaking hands and throwing it over my mother's body, throwing another pinch over my father's body, and then throwing a final pinch over Grandmother Sarabi's body.

I remembered standing at her feet once this was done, as Kopa moved to stand by our father's feet and Grandmother Sarafina took her place by Mum's feet, as Rafiki picked up a fresh torch, lit the wood and said, "And now the bodies will be burned. This is so that we carry on an ancient tradition that has happened to every royal who has been crowned in the Pride Lands, so that their souls can be officially released so that they can join the other great Kings and Queens of the Past who watch over these Lands from the stars above, to help guide their children and grandchildren whenever they are in need of them, and to wait there until their children, grandchildren and future generations are ready to join them once their candles are burnt out."

Rafiki then passed the torch to Grandmother Sarafina, who walked with it to Mum and lit her pyre; she then passed it to Kopa, who lit our father's pyre, and then he passed it to me. I took a deep breath, then walked to Grandmother Sarabi's pyre and, without hesitating, I threw the torch on to her pyre and stood back to stand by Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa, bowing my head as the fire grew higher over the three pyres and obscured their bodies and the wood completely.

As this was going on, Rafiki had began to chant, closing his eyes and dancing in a large circle around Grandmother Sarafina, Kopa, the three burning pyres and I, throwing handfuls of the mixed herbs into the air as he twirled and sang.

 _"Wahamba nathi, oh wahamba nathi_

 _Oh wahamba nathi, siyabonga_

 _Wahamba nathi, oh wahamba nathi_

 _Oh wahamba nathi, siyabonga …"_

Rafiki kept on repeating these words, and I could hear and feel his pain in every word he sand: it was both beautiful and heart breaking to hear, and judging from the sounds of sniffling that I heard, Rafiki's song seemed to touch the hearts of everyone who heard it. I could not stop the tears that fell from my own eyes as I listened to Rafiki's song, and it was this, combined with the smell of burning flesh filling the air, that it hit me, well and truly, that my parents and Grandmother Sarabi were well and truly gone and they were never coming back to life, and this realisation made my tears fall harder and faster than ever. I was crying so hard that I did not notice that Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa wre standing on either side of me until I felt their arms around me. Opening my eyes, I gazed through my tears at Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa, who were crying themselves, staring sadly at the three burning pyres in front of us. I don't think I truly understood until that moment that, even though part of my family were gone, they were still here in those of us who knew them well and who were close to them who they had left behind. Smiling slightly at the comfort this newfound knowledge gave me, I focused my attention back on the three burning pyres.

Once Rafiki had finished his dance and chant, he knelt directly in front of my father's pyre, and as soon as his knees touched the floor, the fire stopped burning on all three of the pyres, and all the flaming torches turned from ghostly blue to the normal fiery orange colour, signifying the end of the funeral. Once this had happened, silence filled the air, along with the smoke rising from the three pyres, and every eye watched the smoke rising and curling into the air, dissolving into the night.

This lasted until Rafiki rose and Zazu hurried to stand next to him, saying in his pompous voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, their Majesties' bodies have been burned, meaning there is no more good we can do here now. Once you have spoken to the Prince, Princess, Lady Sarafina, Lady Mavuto, Lord Frank and Lady Carol, you may follow the Aurors who will take you to the marquee that we have set up for the wake. Thank you."

Kopa, Grandmother Sarafina and I moved away from the three pyres as Zazu had instructed us to do, and we were joined by Chris (who stood by my side), Sian (who stood by Kopa's side) and Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol, who all stood on Grandmother Sarafina's side. We were all stood in a line, with Kopa at the top and Carol at the end, near to the path that led back down to the campsite, but not so far away from the pyres, for I could just make them out out of the corner of my eye, but I kept my eyes focused on the sea of red coming towards us, as it would be rude of me to ignore them (not to mention the tongue lashing I could imagine Zazu giving me if I looked at the pyres and not at the people).

Rafiki then came over to us and stood next to my brother, standing at his tallest, as Zazu started to announce the names of all the people who were coming to meet us and to say some comforting messages, as well as people of importance who were wanting to discuss certain matters that were not explained then later on. Zazu first announced the Ministers of different countries to us, who all shook our hands, bowing as they did so, all of them saying things like, "Your parents will be sorely missed," and, "Their Majesties were some of the finest people I knew," and, "You shall make their Majesties proud, your Highness." The Ministers for Magic did not say anything more after these kind words, for which I was grateful, for I was in no mood to talk about politics just then.

Once the Ministers for Magic had all said what they needed to say and had moved on, I felt myself relax a little as the more familiar and friendly faces that I was used to came up to us, shook our hands and bowed and said some kind words of comfort to us, starting with the Dawsons, who were all still weeping. I noticed that Mr Dawson looked even more upset than his children did, and that he kept looking over at Grandmother Sarabi's ashy pyre. I understood at once why and told him, "I think she would have loved you too if she'd been alive, and I would have been happy for you." Mr Dawson looked quite surprised at how observant I was, but he smiled nonetheless and said, "Thank you, Mistress Kiara," before moving on.

After the Dawsons came the Dragon Mort staff, with Professor Darbus leading them. When she reached me, she said, "I had the honour and the privilege of knowing your parents, both as students and as people once they had finished their education, Pr - er, I mean, your Highness, and I know that they would be extremely proud of you for all that you have done."

"Thank you, Professor," I said. She nodded, smiled slightly and moved on.

Mina, Spud, Professor Winds and Professor Beadu all said things along the same lines; even Professor Crystals said that it was a terrible shame for such great people to be gone, for now the wizarding world will not know the kind souls my parents and Grandmother Sarabi were, and nor will they know or understand just how much of a terrible loss it is for the wizarding world. This was one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard that brought tears to my eyes, and not trusting my voice, I nodded my thanks and he moved on.

Behind Professor Crystals was Sir Turner, who told me that my parents were two of the finest Quidditch players he had ever seen at Dragon Mort and that I had indeed inherited their talent, and he hoped that my family's Quidditch talent would live on in any children Chris and I were to have. I thanked him for his kind words and hoped for that too.

After the teachers had had their say, next came some friends of ours from Dragon Mort, the first being Nikita with her grandfather, followed by Dena and Zara, Parry Party, Sarah and Chris Rimmer, Bekki Rimmer, Lia Thistlethwaite, Peter Seddon, Khan Chan (Chris' jaw clenched when he saw him, but he remained quiet), Denise McCreevy, Emily Mac, Justine Cole, Annabelle Goldform, Michelle Corn, Teri Boots, Jess Goodwin, Kyra Windsor and Jamie Leach. Also with them were Olivia Cane, Andrew Johnstone, Aaron Spinns and Keith Ball. I was amazed by the amount of people that were there to support me, an it was then that it hit me that these people, my friends, did not see me as the Princess of the Pride Lands, but as a person, as their _friend_ , and that my title did not do anything to change their opinion of me, which made me appreciate, love and respect my friends even more for that.

The last of my friends that I could see was Lincoln and his mother, who, I saw, was nervously avoiding my eye. I did feel sorry for her in that moment and, despite what others might tell me, I was going to forgive her - in my head I already had, long ago forgiven her, not that she knew, but it was time to put things right.

When Lincoln reached me, he shook my hand and bowed.

"Hello, Lincoln. Thank you for coming."

"I'd be a terrible friend to you if I didn't come, your Highness," he said. "We've been through too much together for me to just walk away and leave you when you need a friend. Besides, your Highness, it would be a terrible disservice to you and your family after all that you have done for the wizarding world if everyone treated you differently by acting differently around you just because your title's changed, for it hasn't changed your personality or the way you act and think. It's just given you some power."

I became nervous of the thought of how much power I had now, which made me gulp and say rather nervously, "I-I'm not sure I like all the power that comes with this role, Lincoln."

"I know you don't," he said gently, "but I think you are wise enough to know how best to use your power, for we all know what happens when people abuse their power. We've seen it, don't forget."

For some reason, his words made me think of Umber, who got his comeuppance for all that he had done, when he had briefly taken over Crighton's position as Headmaster of Dragon Mort, by being taken by the centaurs that time in the Black Forest. I knew then and there that I would not make the same mistakes Umber made, and I smiled at Lincoln, silently thanking him for his advice.

Lincoln smiled serenely back, then turned to his mother, who was still avoiding my eye. Smiling at her, Lincoln grabbed her hand. Xion jumped at her son's touch and looked at him as he said, "Come on, Mammy. You can't hide from her for ever, you know, and I'm sure the Princess won't be too angry with you for what you did. She'll understand that the Nargles affected your judgement, that's all."

I could not help buy smile to myself at that, as well as hiding my laughter, for I thought it would be quite inappropriate to laugh in my current location. Typical Lincoln, I thought, rolling my eyes, when all else fails, blame the Nargles!

I then sobered up as I took in Xion, and although she did not have the full Azkaban affect on her, her skin appeared to be sunken in slightly, making her eyes appear larger than usual. But I was happy to see that she looked better groomed than the last time I had seen her; but this happiness was rather short-lived, for I could see that she was rather unsteady and shaky on her feet, due, no doubt, to Azkaban, and I only hoped that now she was out of the hellish prison that she would soon be back to her normal self.

Xion looked at me then, and I saw the nerves there in her eyes, along with just how sorry she was for almost getting me captured. When she held out her hand, I could see that it was shaking violently, and so I grasped it, firmly but gently, in both of my own, as she bowed and said in a voice just as shaky as her hand, "Your Highness, may I first offer you my condolences and say how deeply sorry I am to you for losing both your parents and grandmother. I did not know them well, but I know you well enough to know that they have raised a wonderful daughter and granddaughter, who I am sure will go on to do great things for the wizarding world now She-You-Know is gone."

"Thank you, Ms Lovedream. That's very kind of you to say," I told her.

She smiled, but then looked nervous again. I decided to let Xion lead the conversation, not knowing where she was going, although I had a hunch as to what she was going to say. And my suspicions were confirmed after she took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness, I have to know as I do not remember being there … but the Love Destroyers who took me to Azkaban said that you, Mr Rickers and the two eldest Dawson girls came to my home some time after they had taken Lincoln. Is it true?"

I nodded. "Yes, Ms Lovedream. It is true."

Xion's face lost what little colour it had at my words, and her voice trembled worse than ever as she said, "Y-Your Highness, y-you must know how s-s-sorry I am for what I did. I-I just wanted Lincoln back, you see, and I - "

"I understand perfectly why you did what you did, Ms Lovedream," I cut across her gently. "You were desperate, and just wanted your son back alive and well, despite being on my side. Any parent would have done the same thing in your shoes, for we all do crazy things for those we love. So you therefore have my forgiveness, but if you dare pull another stunt like that again, I might not be as forgiving as I am now," I added, with quite a hard edge to my voice.

Xion nodded vigorously, gulping nervously. Then she smiled and said, evidently relieved, "I understand, your Highness, and thank you for showing me mercy." I then watched as her smile slowly faded, and her eyes narrowed with curiosity as she asked, "Why did the four of you come and see me for, anyway, Your Highness? What did you want from me?"

I opened my mouth, wanting to answer Xion honestly about the Deathly Hand of Holiness, but then I closed it, thinking that it would be best to discuss such a topic in a more private setting, not to mention that there were still more people left for me to shake hands with. So I answered, "Perhaps that is a discussion that is best left for another time, Ms Lovedream, when Pride Castle is repaired and I have more time on my hands, including time well spent talking about _The Mystics_ being the magazine bearing the truth about the latest goings-on in the Pride Lands, rather than having the rest of the wizarding world's newspapers putting in rumours and lies."

I did not know what had made me say it, for I had not intended to bring _The Mystics_ into the conversation, but as soon as I said them, I felt no regrets. It felt like the right thing to do, and besides, there was nothing wrong in establishing new friendships after so much conflict as far as I was concerned. After all, peace can be achieved if people are willing to sit down and talk, which is where progress begins, bringing hope to many.

Xion looked surprised by what I had suggested, and pleasantly so, but she seemed to be the only one who was pleased by my way of thinking: Chris looked unsure, Sian looked at me like I was crazy and Zazu looked downright affronted by my judgement. I, however, said nothing and kept my expression as neutral as possible, as Xion spoke again.

"Are you sure about this, your Highness? Are you quite certain? Oh my, I really don't know what - "

"As I said before, Ms Lovedream," I said, gently but firmly, "we will discuss this once I have more time to spare."

Ms Lovedream seemed to understand that we were done for the time being, for she nodded and said, "Of course, your Highness. Thank you."

I smiled and nodded, first at her, then at Lincoln. They smiled and nodded back, then moved on to Chris.

Once Chris had finished speaking to them, he turned to me and said, "Are you sure it's wise, Kiara, offering Xion that position after she almost sold you out to the Love Destroyers?"

"Yes, Chris, I'm sure," I answered. "I trust in my judgement, and as I said before, the only reason she sold me out was because she was desperate to get Lincoln back, and no other reason."

Chris still was not altogether convinced. "Yeah, well, I don't like this - "

"I'm not asking you to like this or not," I said, getting annoyed at Chris' lack of faith in my judgement. "Let me worry about trusting Xion. All I want from you on this matter is your support. Please tell me I have that at least?"

Chris looked into my eyes, which were locked on his, almost pleading for him to support me. Chris appeared to be searching for something in my own eyes, what I did not know, but after about a minute his gaze became warm and gentle again, and he said, "Of course you have my support, Kiara."

"Thank you," I said, giving his lips a swift peck.

It was then that I felt other eyes on me. Turning to their source, I found that it was Kopa who was watching me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. Seeing me looking at him, the amusement faded from his eyes, but his smile grew, filled with pride and self-assurance. He then gave me a long, slow nod as an answer. I smiled and nodded back at him, turning my attention back to the crowd once the moment was over.

The crowd moved on, and people from the British Ministry started showing up now. Amongst them was Harry Potter, who I was surprised to see at this end and not up front with the other Heads of Department, but I was still grateful to see him.

After we had bowed and shaken hands, I asked him, "Why aren't you with all the other Heads of Department from all the Ministries of Magic, Harry? Weren't you supposed to be up there?"

"Yes, I was," he said, "but I spoke to Kara and asked if I could be up this end yesterday. She seemed surprised at my request at first, and didn't look too happy about it, but she understood my detestation for publicity, which I'm sure had a lot to do with agreeing with this."

"Won't there be publicity anyway?"

"Oh, undoubtedly, but at least this way I'm not recognised as the Head of the Auror Department, but rather as the Boy Who Lived giving his condolences to the Girl Who Lived on this terrible day."

I think I understood what he was getting at, that even though he had a title (for he would always be known as the Boy Who Lived), for one day he did not want to be involved in the political order of protocol, but just as a normal guy being there for his friend in her time of need, as odd as it sounds. But I did not care, for I did not care about politics or protocol, either, but what I _did_ care about was that I had my friend there - not the Head of the Auror Department, not the Boy Who Lived, but just as Harry, which made me respect and like him even more.

"I appreciate you saying that, Harry, I really do. Even on a day like this, I find I can relax around people who can look past my titles and just see me as I am, you know?"

Harry nodded. "Of course I do, your Highness, and I'm sure that you have made your parents and Sarabi proud of how well you have handled things since they died."

"I'm not sure I've handled their deaths that well," I said, unsure of myself, thinking of the words my father said in the dream I had not too long ago …

"Well, maybe you haven't handled coming to terms with what you had to do today well enough," said Harry, drawing me back to the conversation, "but how you have been through all the funerals you have attended, and how you acted at Dragon Mort announcing this day, by standing tall and being adamant in your decisions, and taking charge and showing everyone that you are doing something to help the wizarding world when the Love Destroyers went into hiding, when you could have so easily turned your back on all of us ... I think your parents would be proud of you for that. I know I am."

I looked at Harry then, surprised by what he said, but I was pleased by his kind words too, for I never once imagined Harry telling me that he was proud of me for not ignoring the wizarding world's troubles once the war had ended. But I also knew that he was not just proud of me for how I took on the responsibilities that I have had, but of the good work I have done too. And it was in that moment that it hit me: no one had told me that they were proud of me until Harry did. Not one person. And Harry's words did make me smile.

"Thank you, Harry," I said, shaking his hand again. Harry smiled and nodded in return before we let go of each other's hands and he went to speak to Chris.

Amongst the Ministry workers was Alexander George Rickers, who was looking the most sombre I had yet seen him.

"I knew your parents and grandmother well, your Highness," he said, after bowing and shaking my hand, "for I worked close to them during Zira's first rise to power … and I never thought, for one second, that the world would be losing three good people so soon."

"I don't think any of us did," I replied sadly.

Alexander nodded his head solemnly, then sighed roughly and said, "Well, we may have lost them, your Highness, but I firmly believe that they live on in you and your brothers, and that they would be proud of how you acted. You may have your mother's beauty, your Highness, but you have the strength and resilience of your father, and that will help you get through anything."

"Thank you, sir," I told him, genuinely grateful for his kind words about my parents. Alexander nodded, bowed and shook my head again, offering me a swift yet comforting smile, before he moved on to speak with his son.

At the very end of the line were all the servants who used to work in Pride Castle (well, those who were still alive, anyway) who all said the same things like "how much of a loss it is, not just for the Pride Lands, but for the wizarding world, too, your Highness, to have lost such good people as your parents and your grandmother," and, "you parents really loved you, your Highness. You have no idea just how much," and, "I hope that now you and your brothers are home, your Highness, that this means that the Pride Lands will soon be back to how they once were in the glory days."

I hoped for that, too, for I hated seeing my homeland in such a terrible, depressing state, but I was not going to get my hopes up any time soon, for who knew how long it was going to be before the Pride Lands looked anything like they used to, but that does not mean that I did not have hope for the Pride Lands, because I did.

Once the final person had gone, Kopa, still holding Kion in his arms, Chris, Sian, Grandmother Sarafina, Rafiki, Zazu and I all placed red and white roses at the foot of the pyres that were becoming smaller now that there was very little wood left to burn (Kopa placing two roses down for himself and Kion). Grandmother Sarafina then took Kion in her arms as she, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I followed Rafiki and Zazu back down the path, and it was only then that I noticed, for the first time, that the chilly wind that had settled in the Pride Lands was no longer blowing. In fact, there was no wind at all. The only things I could hear were the sounds of our feet cruching our way back down the dirt-strewn path, along with the flickering of the flaming torches, and every time we passed a pair, the flames went out, and with the extinguishing of each pair of torches I felt a twinge of sadness in my heart, for it signified the end of the job we had done.

As Pride Castle was currently unavailable to use for obvious reasons, the wake for my parents and grandmother was being held inside a marquee tent that was big enough to hold at least five hundred people. It had been put up that morning behind the pair of royal tents that stood sentinel overlooking the campsite. The closer we got to it, the louder the sound of low, sombre mumuring reached our ears. Grandmother Sarafina, Kopa, Kion, Sian, Chris and I waited outside the marquee as Rafiki and Zazu went inside to announce us, and once they were gone, I looked up at the place where I knew the pyres to be from the smoke, and I bowed my head sadly for a moment before turning back to the marquee's entrance, just as Zazu was announcing us.

"Please show some respect for Lady Sarafina, Prince Kopa, Prince Kion, Princess Kiara, and Sir Christopher and Lady Sian, the consorts of the Prince and Princess."

The tent flap opened wide from inside, and I took a breath for courage and clung to Chris' arm tight, as he, Kopa, Sian and I followed Grandmother Sarafina and Kion inside the marquee, which was decorated in the colours of scarlet and gold, and at even intervals there were banners, coloured black, with the symbol of the Pride Lands embroidered on them. There were circular tables situated all around the floor, each laden with white table cloths and silver goblets, plates and cutlery. At the top of the marquee was a long table, decorated the same as the others, and stood behind it were Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank, Carol, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave, Rafiki and Zazu, and behind that table hung two portraits: the first being of my parents, which I figured must have been painted shortly after their wedding, and the second was of Grandmother Sarabi when she was younger, looking so beautiful, with her eyes sparkling with love and joy. She was smiling serenely at us, and my parents would sometimes smile and wave at us, but more often than not their eyes would fall on each other, nothing but pure love for each other shining in their eyes.

Standing around the tables were the rest of the congregation, who all bowed at Grandmother Sarafina, Kion, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I as we weaved our way through the tables to the long table at the top. Once we had taken our seats, and Grandmother Sarafina had placed Kion in his high chair, the rest of the congregation took their seats too, all except for Kopa, who remained standing in order to make a speech, just as Zazu had instructed him to.

And yet, as my brother surveyed the people in front of him, all of whom were watching him expectantly, he froze, not moving or saying anything. Seeing him like this, Sian stood up and hissed in his ear, "Kopa, you have to say something on behalf of your parents and Sarabi. The people are expecting it, as is Zazu, so _pull yourself together, now_!"

I then looked at Zazu, who was watching Kopa with a fury that was slowly building. Looking back at my brother, I saw that Sian's words had done nothing to move him, and I could sense that the crowd were growing restless the longer he remained silent. And I knew, in that moment, that it was up to me; so I stood up, slowly but surely, and touched Kopa's shoulder.

My touch seemed to do something to my brother, for he jumped at my touch, blinking rapidly, and looking around he seemed to remember where he was and why he had stood up. Seeing the panic rising in his eyes, I squeezed his shoulder. Kopa then turned to me slowly, worry and uncertainty etched all over his face as he began to shake. Knowing then that he needed someone to take over for him, I nodded and smiled, squeezing his shoulder again, firmly but gently. Kopa smiled back at me gratefully, squeezed my hand and nodded, and then sat down; Sian followed suit, looking at me questioningly, as did Zazu, but I ignored them both, focusing solely on the people in front of me, who were still standing there, waiting for someone to say something.

Looking out at all the faces of the people that I had come to know well over the years, and those I did not, who were all gazing at me expectantly, I realised in that moment that I did not know what to say. Fortunately, though, I had a good friend who _always_ knew exactly what to say when others were struggling to find the words.

"Speak from the heart, that's all you have to do."

I looked at Sian, who smiled and nodded reassuringly, before she took her seat again. I smiled and nodded back at her, knowing that she was right, and that gave me all the strength I needed to speak to the crowd before me. So I took a deep breath for courage and looked deep inside myself to find the right words to say as I began to speak.

"Hello, everyone. First of all, my brother and I would like to thank you all for coming, for I know that it would mean a lot to my parents and Grandmother Sarabi if they could see you all here, coming not only to say goodbye to them, but also to celebrate their lives, and on behalf of my family, i thank you."

I spoke to those who really knew my parents and Grandmother Sarabi rather than those political figures who only knew them from afar or from the private functions and galas they attended, but nonetheless I mean them. And with each word I spoke, I knew that what I was saying was right, not because of the smiles I could see flashing at me, but rather because my gut kept telling me that what I was saying was right, and that was all the encouragement I needed to keep going.

"I know that my family has suffered at the hands of the government for believing that we were Dark wizards, crazy people and, just recently, the enemy, but I want to make this clear to all of you right now who may still doubt us that my family are your friends, that we are certainly not crazy, and that we have never been supporters of the Dark Arts! Just look at what we did to help in the Battle of Dragon Mort if you don't believe me!

"I also know that it is going to be hard for my brothers and I to carry on the legacy that our parents and Grandmother Sarabi started, but we will make sure that they did not die in vain by continuing to defy the Dark Arts everyday; by making sure that every voice is heard, and by being there for all witches and wizards in times of crisis by being a friend to those who need us, and looking around, I can honestly say that each and every one of you who I see before me is a friend of our family, and I am sure that my father would not be against me saying that you are all welcome to come back here any time.

"Kopa and I will also make sure that our youngest brother, Kion, will know our parents and Grandmother Sarabi through the stories we will tell him of them, and the photographs and paintings of them that we will show them." I paused for a moment, knowing that this next part was going to be hard to say, took a deep breath and continued, "It is sad to know that our little brother will never know our parents and Grandmother Sarabi like we did, but it is the only thing we can do to keep them alive in his memory, and to be proud of the place he calls home.

"Looking around at the Pride Lands as they are now, though, they aren't a place that I can call home right now, for they are not. But that changes now, starting with Kopa and I staying here to help shape these good, ancient Lands back to the way they once were, aren't we, brother?"

I looked at Kopa then for confirmation. He smiled and nodded at me, a proud look shining in his eyes, looking so much like our father in that moment it was scary. "Indeed we are, sister," he clarified.

I smiled and nodded back at him, then turned back to the people in front of me, who were all watching me eagerly now, as I went on, "With death comes new life, and with new life comes hope, and hope in this case means away with the days of Dark Magic so that we can bring back the light - the light of the Pride Lands. It is time that the Pride Lands reawakened! It is time for the mighty lion to roar once more!"

Just as I had finished talking, an almighty roar came out of nowhere, and it was so loud that it seemed to make the earth quake, even as the silverware and cutlery all shook, the candlelight flickered and wavered and the portraits swung dangerously, their occupants looking worried at what was happening, not that I could blame them, for the rest of us had ducked under the tables, some screaming, as we covered our ears and tried to protect them from the noise of the roar, which seemed to go on and on, almost as if it were spreading through the Pride Lands, touching every part of the Pride Lands and everything in it -

And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the roar stopped, and everything became still again. Everyone emerged slowly and carefully from under the tables, helping each other to stand rather shakily after the unexpected shock of the lion's proud roar. Chris helped me to my feet as a strangled cry caught my attention: looking around, I saw that Grandmother Sarafina was trying to calm Kion, who was indeed crying, after she had quickly picked him up and held him securely in her arms as she moved carefully up from under the table. Kopa and I quickly hurried over to them, he taking Kion and I helping Grandmother Sarafina to her feet.

"It's all right, Kion. It's OK. Nothing's going to hurt you. Shh, shh," Kopa hummed soothingly to our baby brother, who was not hurt, just in shock. Poor thing.

Looking around, I saw many people looking around, scared and confused by what had happened, as well as looking for the source of the roar. There were a few scared, nervous and almost accusatory looks cast in my direction, as though they thought that I had planned for that to happen. Scared whispers and looks came from everyone, everywhere I looked, except for Rafiki, who I saw looked happy this had happened, almost as if he had expected it to.

I then watched as Rafiki helped Zazu to his feet, who stood up rather shakily, his glasses askew, his hair no longer sleek and neat but messy. After quickly dusting himself off, trying to make his hair as neat as possible and righting his glasses, he coughed loudly to get everyone's attention and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please do not blame the Princess too harshly, for I assure you that that was not meant to happen, for if it were we would have been more prepared for it. Be that as it may," he added, sending me a glare that made me sigh inwardly, for I knew that I was going to be getting a talking to for this later, "I think the Princess has said a _little too much_!"

"On the contrary, Zazu," countered Rafiki, chuckling slightly, "I think the Princess has said just enough."

Zazu looked at Rafiki as though the man had just grown another head, but the wise old man ignored him, looking right at me instead, wearing a proud, secretive smile and winking at me, which reminded me, somewhat, of Crighton. I did not know what to say to this, so I just smiled, as someone outside the marquee gasped loudly.

Everyone turned to the entrance of the marquee to see one of the Aurors out there, not looking at any of us, but rather at the night's sky, a look of shock and awe on his face. Expressions of curiosity quickly flitted across everyone's faces as, slowly, the congregation began to move back outside to see what was going on. I turned to Chris, silently asking him if we should follow them. He nodded, and we followed Sian and Kopa back outside, Grandmother Sarafina, Kion, Rafiki, Mr Rickers, Mr Dawson and the rest of the Dawsons following us, with Zazu bringing up the rear, yelling at us to stop and come back.

"Ladies and gentlemen - please - I'm sure there's nothing out there to interest you - nothing at all - so if you would all just come back and take your places at your tables - "

As you can imagine, we all ignored Zazu, continuing our slow procession outside, and those who were closest to the entrance of the marquee who were already outside and were looking up at the sky had stopped suddenly, gasping in shock and awe, just like the Auror, which only heightened my curiosity.

As we walked, I grabbed Chris' hand, clutching it tightly, not out of fear this time, but anticipation. He squeezed my fingers in response, and I knew that he was feeling exactly the same. I also wondered if he was hoping that the crowd would hurry up and move along like I was, but I did not voice this thought aloud, as it was rude of me to be thinking such things now that I was Princess of the Pride Lands, and I could only imagine what Zazu would have said if I had spoken.

At last, after what felt like hours, Chris and I reached the outside of the marquee, and as we beheld the sky above us, we finally understood what all the fuss was about. Chris and I were both silent, as was everyone else around us, taking in the natural beauty that was the splendour of the heavens above us. In fact, the only one who was still talking was Zazu, making futile efforts to get us all to go back inside.

"… everyone, please, there is nothing out here to interest you, look around you, there is nothing to see out here. Absolutely nothing at all! Oh, your Highnesses, can't you talk some sense - ? Your - Master Kopa? Mistress Kiara? Oh, what has gotten into you all? What is suddenly so interesting about the sky that is filled with nothing but - "

Zazu stopped then, as I saw out of the corner of my eye Rafiki turning his head to the sky, and he became just as stunned as the rest of us, for none of us were expecting to see a sky quite like this one so quickly.

The reason for our shock, my dear readers, is that there were no more dark, stormy clouds covering the sky. Now, for the first time in seventeen years, the sky was completely cloud free, and was freckled with hundreds of thousands of stars that lit up the inky black sky as far as the eye could see. It was quite a sight to behold.

No one spoke. No one moved. Nothing seemed to even breathe, neither people nor wind, as we all took in the wonder of the heavens above us. I felt tears of joy come into my eyes quite suddenly as I stood there, for I was happy that the clouds were gone, which could only mean one thing.

The enchantment that had covered these Lands for so many years was, slowly but surely, coming undone.

Chris pulled me to his side, kissing my temple, and as I looked up at him, I saw nothing but pride shining in his eyes, for he knew, as did I, that my words had done this. We shared a smile, which was broken when I felt someone tap my shoulder.

Frowning, I turned to see who it was, and found that it was Rafiki, who smiled proudly at me, nodding slowly. He then gave a short bow of respect, and I knew then that he knew what my words had done. I nodded and smiled back at him, but my attention was quickly drawn back to the sky as Chrissie called out, "Look, a shooting star!"

There were many oohs and ahhs from everyone, but then we were all taken by surprise as that one shooting star was quickly followed by another and another, until, quite suddenly, it because a full on meteor shower. We all gasped, laughed and cheered at the sight, and although it was a sad occasion, I think we all understood in that moment, as shooting stars shot across the sky like rockets, that a funeral was not just about saying goodbye to the people we love, but also about celebrating their lives.

With death comes new life, and with new life comes hope, indeed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **The Pride Lands Reformed**

 **KIARA**

Some time after we had all celebrated seeing the stars in the Pride Lands again for the first time in seventeen years, everyone headed back inside the marquee, and the air, which had been sad before the meteor shower, was now far lighter and freer, which you could feel through the stories that were told of my parents and Grandmother Sarabi. True, there were sad stories being told, but we all laughed, cried, hugged and comforted each other, truly celebrating my parents and Grandmother Sarabi's lives, none of us caring that we all came from different nations at that moment in time, because we were all one nation, technically speaking, joined together by these people who had touched so many lives, along with our grief for them.

Unfortunately, though, the party had to end, which it did with the first clap of thunder, which happened around an hour after the meteor shower took place. That thunder clap was quickly followed by a flash of lightning and a sudden downpour of rain. The party quickly disbanded for our tents after that, running as fast as we could in order to get out of the warm rain, and standing under the cover of the entrance of my tent, I saw that the rain actually stuck to the ground, making it slippery with mud; yet I also saw, that when the lightning flash, that the raindrops seemed to be sparkling, almost looking like the Healing Waters of Kandrakar, which I know sounds odd, but I know what I saw. I knew that Kandrakar had nothing to do with the enchanted water, but whatever the enchantment was, it gave me jope for the Lands I called my home. I smiled to myself at this thought as I climbed the stairs and went to my room.

As I got into bed a short while later, changed, warm and dry, listening to the rain pouring, along with the sounds of clapping thunder and crashing lightning outside, I could not help but whisper into the darkness, "Daddy, I hope you, Mum and Grandmother Sarabi are all well, and I hope that Kopa, Kion and I have made you proud today, and that the Pride Lands will soon be back to how they once looked before Zira attacked me. Anyway, I miss you all and I will continue to make you guys proud. I love you all."

After that, I smiled to myself and turned on to my side, closing my eyes and letting myself relax as I began to fall asleep. And I was not sure if I was dreaming or not, but I was sure I felt a soft breeze gently wash over me, whispering in my father's voice, _"Goodnight, my Princess"_ as I drifted off, but it comforted me nonetheless.

The next morning when I woke, I was immediately blinded by the dazzling sunlight shining through my window. Shielding my eyes for a moment, I sat up, yawned, stretched and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes - then I gasped aloud, suddenly feeling wide awake as it hit me.

 _The sun was shining in the Pride Lands!_

Jumping out of my bed, I grabbed my dressing gown and rushed down the stairs, not bothering to get dressed in my eagerness to get outside and see what was going on, and looking around once I was outside, I saw that I was not the only one who had not bothered to dress: many people, friends, family, some of my old teachers and people I only knew by face were staring around the Pride Lands with looks of shock, awe and joy, not that I could blame them, for it was a glorious sight to behold.

As I stepped further outside, I quickly noticed that my feet were standing on something soft and wet, instead of squelching in mud, and looking around I saw new shoots of grass everywhere, and as my eyes took in more around me, I could see that birds had come back, flocks far away in the distance, and I could just make out the blinding reflective surface of a river, full and flowing, somewhere in the distance. The trees that I could see breathed life, with leaves starting to grow once again. The way things were going, the Pride Lands were going to be how they once looked in about a month, flourishing and full of life and bristling activity.

As I was taking in the beauty and splendour of my homeland, several more people had come out of their tents, laughing in joy, surprise and complete wonderment at what had happened, not that I could blame them. As I looked at my people, seeing them free and happy, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Rafiki, who was smiling proudly at me with his arms spread wide.

"Look around you, your Highness," he said, bowing slightly, before righting himself and continuing, "this is all because of you and those fine words you spoke last night. You should be very proud of yourself."

"Thank you, Rafiki," I said, smiling slightly. "But, how is all this possible, for this kind of growth doesn't happen this quickly … unless the enchanted rain had anything to do with it?"

Rafiki chuckled. "Very good, your Highness, yes. That was your grandfather's doing, you know; he has been lifting the enchantment that has been covering these Lands for far too long, bringing some long needed new life back to the place. From what I can tell, the Pride Lands got around three months of rainfall last night."

These words shocked me, for I could not believe what I was hearing, and I could not help myself from exclaiming, _"Three months!"_

I said it so loudly that those closest to me stopped celebrating for a moment to turn to me and looked at me rather peculiarly. I smiled apologetically at them as I felt my cheeks redden. Rafiki laughed and came closer to me, as those who turned to look at me go back to looking around them in awe once more. I turned back to Rafiki, who puts an arm around my shoulder, his wise old eyes gazing at me gently in comfort and understanding.

"It's all right, your Highness. Your shock is understandable. Anyone would be, you know."

I smiled at him, nodding in understanding and thanks, just as Chris came up to us, put his arm around me and kissed my temple. I smiled at him after his lips left my skin, wanting to show him how happy I was with him, and how safe and warm he made me feel, and I must have been looking at him oddly for I saw a crease appear on the bridge of his nose as his eyebrows pushed together.

"What?"

For an answer, I kissed him, pouring all the love I had for him into it, wanting him to feel how happy I was, how happy he had made me. Chris returned my kiss eagerly, and the two of us were lost in our own world for several long, blissful moment, until the need for oxygen became too hard to ignore. Chris then rested his forehead against mine, both of us breathing heavily, and once our breathing had returned to normal, Chris was the first to speak.

"Kiara, why did you just do that?"

I shrugged and said, "I don't know. I guess I'm just so happy to see my homeland back to the way it was, the first good news that I have had in a long time, that I needed to express my feelings to you of how I feel in this moment in the best way I know how, you know?"

He smiled that crooked smile of his that I loved so much and said, "I love you so much, you know?"

"I love you, too."

I gave Chris a swift peck on the lips just as Zazu came running up to us, his robes flying behind him, his hair unkempt and his glasses askew. I had not known Zazu that long by this point, nor did I know him that well, but what I did know was that something big must have happened to render the man in this much of a flap. Even Rafiki looked surprised to see Zazu in this state.

"What's happened, Zazu?" said Kopa calmly, he and Sian just joining us, both of them looking at Zazu in concern.

"It's … it's Pride Castles, Sire," Zazu panted. "It's … the most amazing … I can't explain … You must come quickly, Sire, please! It's the only way you'll understand!"

Seeing the eager, excited look on Zazu's face, I looked at Kopa, for I wasn't sure what to make of it. Kopa quickly reassured me with a nod of the head and a swift smile. He then turned back to Zazu and said, "Lead the way."

Zazu sped off immediately at those words back the way he came, with Rafiki following close behind him, a look of curiosity on his face. As they walked away, Sian turned to Kopa, her eyes shining with worry.

"Are you sure he isn't leading us into something dangerous, Kopa?" she asked him apprehensively. "Don't get me wrong, I trust him, it's just that … well … after everything that's happened …"

Kopa cupped Sian's face gently with his hands and told her, firmly but sincerely, "I understand why you are worried, Sian, but you needn't be. Zazu has always been there for the Pride Lands from what I can remember my parents telling me, and besides, if there was any danger at Pride Castle, Zazu would have told us straightaway. Trust me, I know. Now, come on. Let's go and see what's happening at Pride Castle."

Sian smiled back at him, but despite my brother's reassuring words, they did nothing to dissuade the worry that I could still see a hint of shining in her eyes. I turned to Chris then, who was watching me, unsure of what our next move should be. In answer, I took his hand in mine, stroking it reassuringly, whilst I nudged my head in the direction of Zazu, Rafiki, Kopa and Sian had gone. Chris smiled and nodded at my decision and gripped my hand firmly as we ran to catch up with the others.

Chris and I caught up with Kopa and Sian pretty quickly, weaving through the field of tents towards our destination, and as we passed those who were awake and were standing around in amazement at the Pride Lands' quite sudden transformation, as soon as they spotted Zazu, Rafiki, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I heading towards Pride Castle quickly with ever increasing excitement, the people joined us, wanting to know what was going on.

Once we were out of the field of tents, we kept on walking, and the heat from the baking hot sun was having an impression on all of us: it did not take long for beads of sweat to start rolling down my forehead, and my throat longed for the glorious taste of iced pumpkin juice to refresh my thirst; and behind me I could hear the complaints of many people wishing they had put on shoes before following us, for in their surprised joy of seeing the Pride Lands beautiful and living, many of the throng seemed to have forgotten that they were not in Britain any more, not that I could blame them.

We continued to walk, and it was not long before we all started to complain of how much further we had to go, and many, Sian included, were now dragging their feet along, as the heat became more and more unbearable. Eventually, though, we did make it to Pride Castle, and the uncomfortable walk was indeed worth it, for even I was not prepared for the sight that met my eyes.

Pride Castle was no longer overgrown with roots and ivy; its windows were no longer smashed, all the tiles on the roof were all firmly in place, and there was not a speck of dirt, grime or dust to be found anywhere on the windows or bricks. The entire building shone like it had just been freshly cleaned; and seeing the place where I had lived for almost two years of my life no longer looking run down, but standing tall and looking as fresh as the Lands it stood proudly over, made me believe, truly believe, that I was home.

I felt Chris kiss my temple again as a great cheer of joy rent the air, seeing Pride Castle back to its proud self. Upon hearing this, Zazu, who had been looking at Pride Castle in awe, turned to look at Rafiki, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I and the rest of the crowd. He raised his hands, and once the cheering had stopped, Zazu spoke loudly and clearly so that everyone could hear him.

"As you can all see, Pride Castle, just like the rest of the Pride Lands, has been restored to its former glory, meaning that the Pride Lands are healed, and the curse has truly been lifted, thanks to the Princess of the Pride Lands herself. To celebrate, there will be a ball held in honour of the reformation of the Pride Lands, to which you are all invited.

"For now, though, I invite you all to go back to your tents, where you will all find breakfast waiting for you, courtesy of the Pride Castle staff. If you do not have suitable robes to wear for the ball tonight, never fear, for the robes that you wore to the funeral will do just fine. In the meantime, though, go to your tents and have some breakfast - except for Prince Kopa, Princess Kiara, Sir Chris and Lady Sian, who I would like to stay here with myself and Rafiki, if they would be so kind as to do so."

Kopa, Sian, Chris and I stayed behind as everyone else headed back to the campsite, talking and laughing loudly as they went. The four of us, though, remained focused on Rafiki as he looked at us, smiling broadly, and as he caught my eye, his smile widened as he looked at me with pride shining in his eyes.

"Well, I think it's fair to say that the Princess has returned home for good," he said loudly, and I smiled at him, proud to be home.

"Thank you, Rafiki," I said. "It feels good to finally be home after all these years."

"And it is good to have both you and Master Kopa back, Mistress Kiara," said Zazu, a proud smile forming on his own features. "What you see before you now would not be possible if it had not been for what you said last night, your Highness, so you should be very proud of yourself for what you have done."

"Zazu is right, your Highness," said Rafiki, seeing as I was about to protest. "You need not act so modest, for all of this is your doing. Now, shall we lead them inside, Zazu, so we can discuss what's going to happen today?"

"Yes, Rafiki, we shall. Come," Zazu said to Kopa, Sian, Chris and I, before turning on his heel and leading the four of us and Rafiki to Pride Castle, up the golden stone stairs and through the large oak wooden doors inside.

The whole place was alive with hustle and bustle, and everywhere I looked I could see maids polishing the windows and scrubbing the floors, dusting the tables and going into other rooms to light fires and air out our old rooms in order to remove the musky old smell of dust. In fact, every window that I could see was open, the curtains blowing gently in the soft breeze coming in, ruffling the sheets the maids were lecitating with their wands as they walked up or down the stairs, and I could smell the tantalising scents of freshly baked bread and sausages and bacon wafting upstairs from the kitchen, making my stomach growl.

My attention was quickly focused on Zazu again, who was stood in front of the staircase to the upper floors and was explaining to us what was going to happen today.

"Now that we are all inside Pride Castle, let me explain what is going to happen today. In a few moments, the four of you will be led to your rooms, where you will find your luggage waiting for you. Once in them, you will bathe, have breakfast and dress, and then I shall come for the four of you and give you an official tour of the castle. You shall then greet the rest of the Dawson family and Mr Rickers and will have lunch with them. After lunch, you will have two hours of free time to do whatever you please before getting ready for the ball. You shall then gather in the ballroom to greet the guests and officially announce the ball. Do you all understand?"

Kopa, Sian, Chris and I all nodded. Zazu smiled and continued on.

"Good. Now, this is not your first official royal party I should tell you right now, but it is good practice for you for when the four of you will be hosting and attending parties and various other royal engagements. Saying that, though, I do expect the four of you to be on your best behaviour and to show the world that the Pride Lands have their good name back; after all, the four of you are, from this day on, the official spokespeople for these Lands, as well as role models for the entire wizarding world, which means you have new responsibilities and duties to take up, not just for the people of the Pride Lands, but for the rest of the wizarding world, too. Remember that."

Until Zazu said that, I had no idea just how much responsibility I now had to bear, which I found quite daunting, and looking at Chris I saw that he was just as scared as I was at the amount of responsibility we now had, which Sian and Kopa did not seem to bothered about to hear, which made me think that they were either really nervous and were hiding their fear well until they were in private, or else they were really ready to take on all the responsibility that came with being royalty. Personally, I think it's more the latter reason. Anyway, seeing how nervous Chris and I looked, Zazu smiled gently at us and quickly reassured us.

"Don't worry, your Highness, you need not worry about these responsibilities and duties of the Crown for now, for they will come easier to handle with time and experience, and seeing as there are four of you, those responsibilities and duties will be split. Besides, we can discuss this more in detail tomorrow. For now, though, let me show you where your rooms are. Come, right this way."

And he turned and walked up the stairs, Rafiki, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I following him. As we walked up the stairs and along corridors, we passed many of the castle's staff walking backwards and forwards, carrying vases of flowers, sheets of linen and trays of food, only stopping to bow or curtsey quickly at us, only moving once Kopa and I had walked past them. I was still not used to this amount of respect from people, for it made me feel awkward, but I was sure that I was going to get used to it in time, which I knew would get easire for me to accept and handle in time, especially with Zazu's help.

Speaking of Zazu, he was talking with Sian, explaining the sleeping arrangements of the rest of the Dawsons to her and Kopa.

"… shall be staying in the Family Wing, Miss Dawson, along with you and Mr Rickers, which is close to the Royal Wing of the castle."

"Why aren't Chris and I staying in the Royal Wing, too, seeing as we are on Kopa and Kiara's arms?"

"It is because you are not officially part of the royal family yet, Miss Dawson, and until you are, yourself, Mr Rickers and the other members of your family will be staying in the Family Wing."

"But that's ridiculous!" exclaimed Kopa suddenly. "Chris and Sian are as good as being part of our royal family, and as such deserve to be treated the same as myself and Kiara, as should the rest of the Dawsons and Chris' father. It doesn't seem right or fair that they should be treated differently than us because our titles are higher than theirs are!"

"And yet that is entirely the point, Sire: you and Mistress Kiara are higher in social rank than Miss Dawson and Mr Rickers are, and therefore must be treated as such. It is a tradition that has been held in Pride Castle for centuries, you know."

"Then maybe that tradition needs shaking up a bit!" I found myself shouting, before my brain could catch up with my mouth.

Zazu, Rafiki, Kopa, Sian and Chris all stopped in their tracks and slowly turned to look at me, each of them wearing different expressions: Rafiki looked like he was trying hard not to laugh, Sian was looking back and forth between Zazu and I nervously, and Kopa and Chris were both looking at me supportively. Zazu, however, looked confused as to what I had just said, which confused me, as what I said was not that complex of a statement to comprehend.

"What do you mean, your Highness? How should we, as you say, "shake tradition up a bit"?"

"By treating us as equals, and not focusing on our titles," I explained. "For underneath the titles, we are all human; so therefore, Zazu, you either make sure Chris, Sian, Mr Rickers and the other Dawsons are move to the Royal Wing, or Kopa and I will move to the Family Wing. The choice is yours."

I watched as Kopa, Sian and Chris all smirked at each other, and Rafiki was struggling to retain his laughter as he, Kopa, Sian and Chris all looked at Zazu, who looked furious by what I had just said. I did not regret what I had said, for it felt right. Besides, I had considered the Dawsons as my family for a long time now, and they had always treated me as an equal, so to deny them the same rights as myself did not seem right after everything they had done for me; and as I watched the wheels turning in Zazu's head, I knew I had won, even before he grumbled to himself furiously, stopped a passing servant and said -

"Silas, have all the rooms in the Royal Wing been cleaned and aired out yet?"

"Yes, sir, they have."

"Good. Then make sure to move all the Dawsons' belongings to that side of the castle, as there has been a change of plan as to where some of our guests are going to stay."

"Are you sure, sir?" the man named Silas asked nervously.

"Absolutely. It is the Princess' wish, after all," Zazu said, spitting out the last words as though they were poison.

"Of course, Mr Zazu, sir. As the Princess commands, so it shall be done," said Silas. He then bowed respectfully to myself and Kopa, and he bowed and I curtseyed respectfully back. Then he stood up, turned on his heel and marched on, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Zazu then looked at me with a glare so scary that it took every inch of my resolve not to step back in fear. He shook his head, growled and marched off in Silas' wake. Kopa, Sian, Chris and Rafiki all looked at me then, Rafiki still trying not to laugh, and Kopa, Sian and Chris all gave me smiles of pride and gratitude for standing up to Zazu.

"Thank you, Kiara," said Sian. "Even though you didn't have to do that, I'm glad you did."

"Well, you would've done the same for me," I said, shrugging.

Sian's smile widened as Kopa said, "Come on, we'd best catch up with Zazu before he marches back here in an even fouler mood than before because we didn't keep up with him."

Sian, Chris and I nodded, and the three of us and Rafiki quickly followed Kopa, the five of us quickly catching up with Zazu, who was still silently fuming at my outburst. I ignored him as we walked along, taking in as much detail as I could of Pride Castle, thinking back to how it looked the last time I was here ...

How Pride Castle looked now to how it looked the last time I was here was phenomenal, the differences incomparable: after all, last time it looked dark, cold, dead and uninviting, whereas now it was full of life and movement and felt such a warm place to be in, and I'm not just referring to the sun hitting the stone walls and warming them and the floors, streaming in through the windows, but also the warmth that came from the people living and moving within the castle, making it welcoming and homely, and the feeling spread through me with such warmth that I felt as though there was a fire warming my bones, welcoming me home to my hearth. It was strange yet wonderful to feel at the same time.

As we came closer to the Royal Wing of the castle, there was much more hustle and bustle going on: maids were going back and forth with sheets, vases of flowers and drapes, and I could hear orders being given close by. Rounding a corner, we came upon a long corridor lined with doors on either side, and at the far end were a pair of large white doors, which I knew were the doors to the King's Suite. Servants were working hard here too, ignoring us as they continued their various tasks. We followed Zazu halfway down the corridor until he stopped suddenly outside a polished, white-washed wooden door with a shiny, curved golden handle.

"Wait here a moment," said Zazu promptly, and he knocked on the door, opened it without waiting for a reply and went inside. Immediately, maids came out, bowing to us and saying politely, "Good day, your Majesties." Once the room was cleared of servants, Zazu poked his head out the door, looked at me and said, "Come in, your Highness. Your room is ready."

I went inside and found myself inside a room with turquoise coloured walls, that was wide and spacious: a walk-in wardrobe stood opposite the four poster bed, which was covered in golden and scarlet sheets. A dressing table with a large circular mirror attached was in between the walk-in wardrobe and another white door that led to, as I later discovered, the on suite bathroom, and on top of the dressing table was the photograph of my parents on their wedding day. The walls had portraits of flowers in a field, deer running through a wood with a waterfall running in the background, and a lion, tall, majestic and handsome, surveying the scene before him proudly, and as I looked at him I could not help but see the resemblance between him and Grandfather Mufasa. My luggage was standing at the foot of my bed, and the golden sheets shimmered and shone at the foot of it blindingly in the sunlight streaming in through the window, and walking over to it I saw that I had a wonderful view of the river, sparkling in the light from the sun. I also noticed that my room, just like the rest of the castle, had a Cooling Charm cast upon it, due to the sweltering heat of the South African summer.

Turning back around, the first thing I spotted was a fireplace halfway between the on suite bathroom and the bedroom door; and standing in the doorway was Zazu, who was watching me expectantly.

"Do you like your room, your Highness?"

"It's beautiful, thank you," I said.

Zazu smiled, happy that something had gone his way for once that day. "Good. I shall send the housekeeper along with a couple of maids to help you shortly."

"Help me? With what?"

"With bathing and dressing, of course," said Zazu, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

I was unsure of how to feel about people dressing me, but I did know that having anyone to help me to bathe made me feel immediately uncomfortable, and I began to protest to no avail.

"No, that's not - "

"This is how it is done, your Highness!" Zazu snapped, his sharp, beady eyes narrowed in disfavour at my challenge to his authority. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, opened them and said, more softly than before, "I am sorry, your Highness, but I am afraid that this matter is non negotiable!" And with that, he gave me a sharp, curt nod and closed the door behind him, and I noticed, almost immediately, that once the door had shut that I could hear nothing beside the wind sighing gently, and the curtains blowing softly as they reacted to the kiss the gentle breeze gave them.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, sighing roughly, wondering if I was going to be a good Princess or not with all the rules I had to follow, not to mention having to put up with Zazu jumping down my throat every five minutes just because I did not see things his way; but did the man not understand that I only wanted what was best for the people and that I wanted everyone to be treated as an equal? It was so frustrating! I kicked the side of my trunk in annoyance to try and relieve some of the pent-up anger I was feeling, when at the exact same moment there came a knock on the door. Thinking it was the housekeeper and the maids Zazu said he would send, I quickly stood up, walked over to the door and opened it, only to be surprised to find myself face to face with Rafiki.

"Oh, Rafiki, it's you!" I said, startled. "Is everything all right? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Rafiki chuckled and said, "Everything is fine, your Highness, and no, I do not require your assistance with anything … but I would like to talk to you. Might I come in?"

"Oh, of course," I said, stepping aside and holding the door wider so that he could walk easily over the threshold. "Please, sit down on the chair by my armoire."

"Thank you, your Highness," he said, moving slowly into the room, his staff hitting the stone floor with a soft _clink_ every so often as he moved to the chair. Once he was fully inside the room, I closed the door and moved to sit on the edge of my bed again, as Rafiki moved the chair around to face me and plonked himself down on it.

We were both silent for a few moments. Then Rafiki chuckled again and said, "I see Zazu's got you a bit wound up."

I looked at him questioningly. In answer, he nodded to my trunk, which was not in line with the rest of my possessions thanks to my foot. I then looked back at Rafiki, blushing profusely as I giggled and said nervously, "I'm sorry about that … um … you see - "

"Don't apologise for how you feel, your Highness," Rafiki said gently, reassuring me that I had done nothing wrong, which made me sigh inwardly with relief. "It is natural to feel angry, we all do. And believe me, I know how full on Zazu can be about the duties and traditions of the Royal Family. But you should know that you are not the first who has stood up to Zazu on the sleeping arrangements."

"Really?" I said, amazed, and quite pleased that I was not alone.

Rafiki nodded. "Mm-hm. Your mother was exactly the same. She argued against Zazu on being in a separate wing as Simba when she was first moving in here as his fiancé, but she was not as successful as you were." He pondered for a moment, then added, "You know, I think you have earned Zazu's respect today for that."

"Really?" I asked doubtfully. "I thought he was angry with me, because the look on his face did not show any sign of respect from what I could tell, unless I read his face wrong."

"Oh, no, he _is_ angry with you, but I think that once he has calmed down and has had the time to think things through that he will come to respect your decision and reasoning."

"I hope so," I said, "for I did not mean to offend him, I just wanted to do what was right for my people by treating them like equals and not as second class citizens just because they aren't royalty - "

"And that is exactly why Zazu respects you," said Rafiki, looking at me with such fierce pride in his eyes. "One of the first things you will learn is that your people come first before everything else. You work for them as you will for the Pride Lands, seeing as they are one and the same. So do not doubt yourself, Kiara - I can call you Kiara, can't I?"

"Of course," I said at once, hating the overuse of formalities, despite knowing that I would have to get used to it.

"Thank you," Rafiki continued, "so don't doubt yourself, for you are doing a good job already being the Princess, and I know your parents are proud of you. Saying that, though, do not go arguing with Zazu on everything he says, for there are some things I'm afraid that you will have to do, but you will find out about those rules and responsibilities in due course. But if you believe that there is something that you can do that will benefit the people, then do not be afraid to speak your mind."

"Thank you, Rafiki. I will bear that in mind," I told him, grateful for his council.

He bowed his head as there came another sharp knock at the door. I turned to it quickly as Rafiki stood up, smiled and said, "Well, I think that's my cue to leave, as I believe that's Asha with Ode come to take care of you …"

"Asha and Ode?"

"The housekeeper and your lady in waiting," Rafiki explained. "Come …"

Together we walked over to the door, and opening it I saw a woman standing there, who was short and round and was dressed all in black. She had large, deep brown eyes, a long nose and full, wide lips that were curved in a wide, happy smile, and her wild, messy black hair that was turning silver was tied back in a bun, that looked like it had been heavily pinned into shape. I also noticed that on the cuffs of her robes was the symbol of the Pride Lands that had been embroidered on to them.

She did not focus on me, but rather on Rafiki, looking at him with mock annoyance, shaking her head mockingly as she said, "You should know better than to be with the Princess alone in her room, Rafiki. It's not wise, you know, especially with your track record."

Rafiki pretended to look hurt by her words, as he put his hand over his heart and said, "I am offended that you think so little of me, Asha, as to doubt my behaviour in front of the Princess. I do know how to behave myself, you know."

"Do you, really?" Asha scoffed.

"Yes, really," said Rafiki, still pretending to look hurt by Asha's words. "And my heart has only been saved for your affections, my dear, no matter what others may say."

He then grasped one of Asha's hands delicately in his free one, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently. Asha swatted his arm playfully, and I could not help but giggle at the ridiculousness of what I was seeing.

Rafiki then grinned widely at Asha, then straightened up, still keeping hold of her hand, turned to me and said, "I shall leave you in Asha's capable hands, Mistress Kiara. They're wonders at taking _very good care_ of people, I should know."

Asha thwacked him on the arm playfully before she all but pushed him out the door, which Rafiki took all in good humour, laughing as he went. Asha shook her head mockingly at his retreating back. Once he was gone, Asha then turned to the girl behind her who I had not noticed was there, and said, "Well, don't just stand there, Ode. Come in, child, come in."

The girl, who was dressed in black robes too, was long and lanky. Her messy black hair was tied back tightly, and from what little I could see of her face (seeing as she had her eyes focused on the floor instead of at me, which I think was due to the fact that she was nervous and shy), I could see that she had the same long nose and deep brown eyes as Asha, so there was obviously some family resemblance between them somewhere.

Once Ode had come in, Asha shut the door and turned to me. She quickly strode over to me, her smile warm and welcome, as she pulled my face close to hers and studied it closely. I did not move or say anything, as I was rather alarmed and uncomfortable with her invasion of my personal space. Eventually, though, she let go of me, stood back a little, nodded thoughtfully and said, "Well, you certainly are your mother's daughter, Mistress Kiara, yet there is something of your father about you. It's in the eyes, you see, and also in the wisdom of your tone."

I did not know what to make of that comment, and something of what I was thinking must have shown on my face, because Asha looked at me suggestively. Understanding what she was saying, I blushed profusely again and said nervously, "You, um, have heard what I said to Zazu before, then?"

"Yes I did, loud and clear I might add." When I continued to look abashed by what I had done, Asha laughed good naturedly and said, "Don't worry about it, my dear. It's been a very long time since anyone stood up to Zazu and put him in his place. It's given the staff a good reason to laugh after so many dreary years."

I laughed too, thankful that Asha was not angry with me, but from how she was acting I don't think she had a grudging bone in her body.

Once the laughter had subsided, Asha then went on to introduce herself. "Now then, your Highness, I am Asha Govender, the housekeeper."

"Pleased to meet you," I said, shaking her hand gently but firmly. "How long have you been working here for?"

"Nearly thirty years now," Asha told me. "I knew your parents well, your Highness, and I knew that they could not have killed anyone, despite almost everyone saying that they were once responsible for the Absters' deaths. And when I heard that they had died I was … very upset, your Highness, very upset. Indeed, I don't believe such a tragedy like that struck the people the way it did since She-You-Know tried to kill you." Asha pulled out a handkerchief as she sighed heavily and quickly dabbed at her eyes. She then continued, "It is such a pity that I did not get to know you as a child, Mistress Kiara, but at least I have the time to know you now, which will happen in due course as there is quite a lot to do today, so allow me to introduce you to your lady in waiting, Ode Naidoo, who also happens to be my granddaughter."

She looked at the nervous girl in question, who gave a quick curtsey, looked up at me and offered me a swiftly nervous smile before fixing her gaze on the floor again. As I studied her I felt sorry for seeing her in such a state, which got me thinking …

"Forgive me for asking this, Asha, but this something happen to her that has made her this nervous, or is she always like this around new people?"

"Oh, don't worry, your Highness. Ode's shy around every new face she meets, but she will come out of her shell the more you get to know her. She's perfectly capable at her job, your Highness," Asha added, "and I should know, seeing as I taught her - "

"I think I should judge her accomplishments for myself, Asha, though I do not doubt your skills," I said, firmly but gently. Asha got the point, for she bowed her head respectfully and said nothing more. I nodded at her once, slowly, then turned my attention back to Ode, who was still staring at the floor. Knowing that I would have to go easy on her, I approached her slowly so as not to startle her, and when I was directly in front of her, I asked her, as gently as possible, "Ode, whenever you are ready, can you please look at me?"

Slowly, Ode raised her head until her eyes locked on mine. I smiled at her reassuringly, and wanting her to understand that she had no reason to be afraid of me, I said kindly, "Look, I know that you are nervous around me because I am a stranger to you, but if it makes it easier for you to get comfortable around me, I want you to remember that there is a person under the title I have been given, and that you can always come to me if you have any problems. Any time you want to talk, knock on my door and I will listen to all you have to tell me, OK?"

I watched Ode breathe a very shaky sigh of relief, as she answered in a very quiet voice, so quiet that I could barely hear her, "Y-yes, y-y-your Highness."

I smiled, glad that she had the courage to say something in front of me. True, it was only a small, stuttered sentence, but it was a start nonetheless. Asha seemed to think so, too, for she nodded in approval as she marched over to the bathroom, opened the door and went inside. After about five minutes she came back out, drying her hand on a towel as she turned to me, smiling.

"Well, your bath has been run and is ready for you, your Highness. Whilst you are bathing, I shall order some breakfast to be sent up for you and myself and Ode will look through your wardrobe to see what will be best for you to wear. Don't worry about taking care of the clothes you have on now, your Highness. I'll have one of the other maids take care of them for you."

I smiled and nodded at her, then walked over to the bathroom myself, shut and locked the door behind me, and started to undress at once. As I was undressing, I took a good look around: the bathroom was, as I expected it to be, a large, circular room. The walls were painted sea green and the floor was covered with many white tiles, each carefully decorated with golden swirls; it was obvious to me that the floor had been recently cleaned, as it was shiny and spotless, with no trace of dirt, grime or limescale upon it. A white sink stood not too far from where I was standing, with a large oval mirror hanging over it. The only window in the room was a large round one near the ceiling, sending a shaft of sunlight directly down upon a large pristine bathtub, which was white, that situated directly in the middle of the room, that was full to the brim of water and foam, with steam wafting gently upwards, emitting the tantalising aromas of rose and vanilla. At the foot of the bathtub a towel had been folded over, and another towel was neatly folded on top of a stool on the other side of the tub. Once I had finished undressing, I put my wand down on top of my clothes, and put my boots back on so that I could walk across the tiles room softly, only taking them off when I was stood on the large sky blue towel. I then took off my shoes and socks and got in the tub, some of the water spilling over the sides as I sank slowly into the water, making sure that my head was just above the surface.

I bathed quickly, not wanting to stay in the bathtub longer than necessary as my stomach needed to be filled with food. Once I was done, I got out, dried my feet as best I could, put my socks and boots back on and wrapped myself in the other sky blue towel. I walked back across the room, remembering to pick my wand back up before I left the bathroom, then I unlocked the door and exited the bathroom.

Looking around my room, I saw that my belongings had been moved to the walk-in wardrobe, apart from the clothes that I would be wearing for the ball, which would be made later that day. Standing next to the bed was a tray full of platters of bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, eggs that were sunny side up, along with plates with toast of butter and various types of jams and marmalade on the side. There was also a bowl of fruit salad there, along with a number of beverages to choose from, such as tea, coffee and pumpkin juice. Looking at my armoire, I saw Ode standing behind the chair in front of it, gesturing me to sit in it, gazing at me kindly, yet I could still sense some nerves there. I smiled my thanks at her and took the seat.

Neither myself nor Ode spoke that much, due to the fact that it was one of those mornings where I only wanted to focus on eating, along with figuring out that Ode was not that much of a talker, but I knew that once she was comfortable around me that she would open up more. So I ate as she did my hair, arranging it in a neat ponytail, and once I had eaten all I could I got dressed in the clothes Asha had picked for me to wear: a light cream blouse, a long light blue skirt and silver sandals. Once I was presentable, I went outside to find Chris waiting for me.

I studied Chris closely, for he was wearing polished black shoes, black trousers, a cerulean blue shirt with the top two buttons undone, and he had undone the buttons of his cuffs so that he could roll them up to his elbows, and his hair had been neatly combed back, and to be honest, I could not remember the last time I had seen Chris with neat hair, having been so used to it looking dishevelled and messy ever since I had first seen him at the breakfast table at Dawson Manor all those years ago. Still, the sight of him clean and brushed back, with his shirt doing nothing to hide his masculinity, really did something to me.

I then focused on his eyes, which were studying me from head to toe as I had studied him, and when his eyes finally met mine they were gazing at me with a smoulder that quite took my breath away as my heart beat faster, and I could not help the blush that warmed up my cheeks, for even though I did not need it from Chris, I was glad that he approved of what I was wearing.

"Hey," he said at last.

"Hi," was all I could think of to say.

He took a couple of steps closer to me, gently grasped my shoulders and said, "You look amazing."

I grinned at that. "So do you," I said, reaching up to cup his cheek as my fingers played with the soft, thick sandy brown hair. Chris closed his eyes and melted into my touch, a soft sigh escaping him, and I took pride in knowing that only I had this effect on him.

With what appeared to be a tremendous effort, Chris opened his eyes slowly, gazing at me with such love as he said, bumbling like the lovestruck fool he was, "You know, they actually made my hair this neat - I didn't want this - but I had no choice, and I - I know that you like it better when it looks like I've just gotten out of bed in the morning. I can change it if you - "

I grinned at him tripping over his words, but I did feel sorry for him, for I could see him becoming more and more embarrassed with each word he spoke, so I quickly pressed my index finger to his lips to make him stop talking so that I could get a word in.

The effect was immediate. Chris just stood there, looking at me questioningly, his mouth open stupidly, but I just shook my head and said, "Chris, it doesn't matter to me how you have your hair. True, I prefer it looking like a haystack, but having it neat like this makes you look more ... distinguished to me, somehow."

I took my index finger away as Chris looked both relieved and pleased that I did not mind his hair. He then briefly chuckled with relief, and I watched as his smile became gentler, his lime green eyes showing nothing but love, as he brought my forehead to his lips, kissing it softly and with no less passion, and I closed my eyes to the sensation of Chris' lips burning my forehead in the best possible way. I nuzzled my forehead beneath his lips, sighing contentedly, just relishing in how close I was to him.

After a couple of minutes of this, I felt Chris' lips leave my head to focus on my hair, which I did not mind. It was only when I heard sniffing noises that my eyes shot open. Frowning to myself, I asked him, "Chris, are you smelling my hair?"

A muffled groan was my answer, which did annoy me, yet deep down I felt amazed and proud that I had this effect on him. But I was not going to let him off the hook that easily. So I started pushing him, but he was not willing to let go of me, so I gave him an extra hard shove, saying as I pushed him, "Chris, stop!"

I hit him with such force that he stumbled backwards a few paces. He quickly regained his balance, shaking his head and blinking rapidly. Chris then looked at me, confused for a second, but then he grinned, not his usual loving grin, but a wild, passionate grin, one that made my heart stop for a moment as my blood began to boil.

"But you smell so good," he growled, coming towards me stealthily, making my heart beat faster with every step he took, and before I knew what was happening, he had captured my lips in a deep, passionate kiss, which deepened as I eagerly responded to his touches.

I clutched at him desperately, my fingers knotted in his hair as Chris stroked my back with one hand, his other tangled in my hair as his tongue stroked my lips, begging me to open for him, which I responded to eagerly. And as our kiss deepened, so did our touches, which became bolder, if anything: our hands explored each other eagerly, as Chris shoved me against the wall, my back falling against it with a muffled thud, but I did not care. I just didn't want him to stop kissing me. His hands were everywhere, on my back, tracing up my side, ghosting over my breast, making me gasp loudly, which did not stop Chris, for he moved his lips to my neck, sucking, nipping and kissing the skin there tenderly and eagerly. I held on to him desperately, my moans echoing around the silent corridor - making me loosen my hold on Chris, as the rational part of my brain realised where we were and what we were doing, for if we didn't stop now I knew that we would both regret it.

Chris quickly noticed that I had stopped reacting to his touches and kisses for he raised his head and looked at me, his eyes alive with barely restrained passion, as he panted huskily, "Kiara … what is it? What's wrong?"

The look in Chris' eyes almost made me grab his neck, pull him to me roughly and snog him like crazy again, but I restrained myself as I put my hands on his chest and, panting heavily, I said, "Chris … we need to stop … before we go too far …"

Chris looked confused as he continued to look in my eyes, his breathing still heavy. Rolling my eyes, I said, "Look where we are, Chris. Do you really want to get a lecture from Zazu if he comes across us like the way we were just then by accident because we couldn't control ourselves?"

Understanding quickly dawned on Chris as he looked around, realising where we were, which made him draw back a little as he said, "You're right. We should stop now before we get ahead of ourselves. Kiara, I'm so sorry - "

"It's OK," I reassured him, smiling gently, taking a few steps to where he was and I lay my head on his chest. After a few seconds he wrapped his arms around me, and I said into his chest, "There's no crime in showing me how you feel. We just have to try to control ourselves, that's all."

"You're right," said Chris, sighing heavily. "It's just that you smelt so good, and it's just been so long since we've had a moment like that."

I then rolled my eyes, lifted my head to look him in the eye and said, "Now, no more of that, Chris, or Zazu won't let you touch or kiss me until our wedding day."

"I'd like to see him try," Chris growled playfully. Then he added, "Besides, if he tries to make sure we have to stand five feet away from each other at all times, I know that you will stand your ground and tell him otherwise."

I shook my head and said teasingly, "Maybe I won't."

Chris looked at me, pretending to be shocked and offended by what I had said, as he said playfully back, "And why won't you back me up?"

"Because you are not to be trusted."

"Hey, I can keep my distance from you if I want."

"It's sweet of you to say that, Chris, but I doubt that you can do that. I'd like to see you try, though."

Chris glared at me at that, but I just smiled at him innocently, knowing that he was not really angry with me. A moment later I was proven right again as Chris began to laugh, and I laughed with him, not knowing what else there was to do. I had forgotten how good and easy it was to be with Chris like this, seeing as the last time we had been this carefree was when we were children at Dragon Mort. Once our laughter had subsided, I smiled up at him, wrapping my arms around his neck again, drawing him closer to me -

"You know, you two are going to give Zazu a heart attack if he catches you doing that."

Chris and I jumped apart at once and turned to find Grandmother Sarafina, who was carrying Kion, Kopa and Sian striding towards us, all of whom had cleaned and scrubbed up well, the four of them pressed and dressed in their Sunday best. Grandmother Sarafina and Kopa were looking at Chris and I knowingly, whereas Sian, who had indeed spoken, was waiting for an answer, her lips curled playfully. Deciding to play along, and wanting Sian to feel as embarrassed as she made Chris and I, I took it up a notch.

"And who's to say that you and Kopa already gave Zazu a heart attack, Sian, by ignoring boundaries in front of him?"

Immediately, Sian's smile vanished as her face flushed scarlet. Kopa hid his face in Sian's hair, not quite covering up the embarrassed smile I could see. Grandmother Sarafina laughed at them, as did Chris, who whispered in my ear, "Nice comeback, Kiara." He then kissed me on the crown of my head and pulled me closer to him, if that were possible.

I smiled at him, then looked back at Sian, who was glaring at me, her cheeks still flushed a brilliant shade of red. Eventually, though, Sian sighed and said, quite heavily, "Well played, Kiara. Well played."

"Thank you," I said innocently, making Sian's glare darker. I knew that I should not have pushed her that far, knowing all too well what she was capable of, but I could not help myself. Before Sian could respond, however, we heard Zazu running towards us, and turning around I saw him skid to a halt in front of us, looking bad tempered and out of breath.

Once Zazu had go his breath back, he said, clearly annoyed, "Here you all are! I've been waiting for you all downstairs for the past five minutes now …" Sighing deeply, Zazu shook his head, then looked at Sian as he continued, "Your family is waiting for you down in the Entrance Hall, Miss Dawson. Shall we go and greet them?"

Sian looked surprised, almost as if she had forgotten her family's presence, and she said quickly, "Oh yes, let's. Lead on, Zazu. Lead on."

And Grandmother Sarafina, carrying Kion, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I all followed Zazu back down the staircases and corridors all the way down to the entrance foyer, where we found Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave with Rafiki, and all of them, except Rafiki, were looking around the place in awe. As soon as they saw us, they all came running towards us, none of them masking their delight at how beautiful Pride Castle was, not that I could blame them.

"Kiara, this place is _huge_!"

"It's so beautiful here!"

"It's magnificent, just like its history, I'll bet."

"Oh, who cares about its history! Is there somewhere in this castle, or the grounds, where you can practice archery?"

"I'm more interested in knowing if there's space for experiments to be conducted."

"As well as a room that can be used to store inventions in."

"I'm more interested in the Quidditch facilities they've got here. What about you, boys?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Nothing beats Quidditch, bro."

"You can say that again, Dave."

"I can't believe I forgot about that one."

"Kids!" said Mr Dawson loudly, and at once Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all stopped talking over one another and turned to face their father, who was watching them all disapprovingly. "You are all getting ahead of yourselves. Remember, we don't live here, which means that we are only guests, so please don't treat this place like it's our permanent home when it's not."

Once their father had said that, reality seemed to drop on Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave's heads like a large weight; their expressions turned glum and sour, almost as if all the excitement of the day had been extinguished for them.

Mr Rickers, who was stood next to Mr Dawson, took pity on them and said, "Oh, come on, Matt, don't be so hard on them. After all, you must know how easy it is to get carried away once you've seen the inside of Pride Castle, surely?"

"That may be, but there's a difference between excitement and getting carried away with your emotions!" snapped Mr Dawson. He was silent for a moment or two, then he said, in a much gentler tone, "Mind you, there is something about this place that makes me awestruck no matter how many times I come here. It's like every time I enter Pride Castle, I feel as though I am seeing it for the first time, you know what I mean?"

Mr Rickers nodded thoughtfully to this statement, as Zazu, who had been growing steadily impatient in the past couple of minutes, coughed loudly. Grandmother Sarafina, Kopa, Sian, Chris, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank, Carol, Rafiki, Mr Dawson, Mr Rickers, Chrissie, the rest of the Dawson siblings and I all looked at him, surprised, as we were so consumed in our own thoughts and conversations that we had quite forgotten about him, which even he seemed to know, considering the angry looks he was giving us all. Now that all of our attention was focused on him again, he seemed quite pleased, but not altogether happy, that everything was back on schedule.

"Now that you have all _kindly_ remembered that I am still here," Zazu snapped, "maybe we can get back on schedule, Sire? After all, there is quite a lot to do before the ball this afternoon."

"Quite right, Zazu, quite right," said Kopa. "Sorry for getting caught up in the moment, but you can't blame them for being excited."

"That may be, Sire, but I have a lot organised today, and you know how I feel about being behind schedule." Zazu then sighed deeply and shook his head a few times before addressing us all again, smiling and sounding far more happier than when he had last spoken, "I am pleased that you are all interested in this castle, but there is not enough time for me to explain everything to you today, but I can give you a tour of the castle, if you'd like?"

There were nods and yells of agreement from Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave at this, and Sian, Chris and I wanted to see more, too, so Zazu smiled widely and said, "Follow me, everyone," and led us all back up the stairs.

As Pride Castle was so huge, Zazu could not show us everything in one go. We saw a few of the most important rooms, and Kopa had to all but drag Sian away from the library, otherwise I do not think she would have left it for the rest of the day, but for the most part Zazu pointed out a lot of the rooms to us, saying what they were before quickly moving on to the next.

The tour extended on to the roof, where Rafiki showed the statue of my parents holding me, accompanied by the sign stating what happened in the Pride Lands when Zira attacked me with messages of luck from all of my well wishers, but there were a lot of new messages that looked to have been recently added, as almost all of the sign had been written on. Kopa, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave, who had never seen this memorial before, stared at it in awe; Kopa had tears in his eyes, moved by the respect that people had for our family.

No one spoke as the statue and sign were being surveyed, until Beth, who had been reading the wooden sign, turned to Zazu and asked him, in a tone that was far calmer and a lot less loud than how she usually sounded, "Please, Mr Zazu, sir - may my brothers and sisters and I also sign this, too?"

Zazu looked surprised that someone had actually asked him for permission to write on the sign, but he quickly smiled and said, "Of course you may, though I don't think you will all be able to fit on there, Miss Dawson."

"Well, we can just write our initials on. That'll count for something at least," Beth compensated, as she took a quill and a bottle of ink from Sian and she, Chrissie, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all took turns signing it. Kopa and I watched them do this, both of us moved by their support and their love for us. Rafiki, who was watching this also, shook his head, smiling and chuckling as he said, "You know, if more people keep on doing this, I am going to have to put up a new sign."

Once the Dawson siblings had all written their signatures on the sign, it was time for lunch, so we all followed Zazu back down to the dining room on the second floor: a long, wide room with an arched ceiling and a long table, almost as long as the house tables at Dragon Mort, was in the centre of the room. The wood, much like the chairs around the table, was maple, and was covered by a white tablecloth, on top of which were white place, silver knives, forks and spoons and golden goblets, along with flagons of pumpkin juice, tea, coffee, Butterbeer and mead and platters of bread rolls, roasted carrots and turnips, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, and in the centre of the table sat the biggest, fattest joint of beef I had ever seen, that had been seasoned with different herbs and spices and was swimming in an onion gravy. The delectable smells wafting from the table made my mouth water and my stomach grumble at the same time, and I did not know which one of us was more eager to get to the table, myself or Chrissie, who was panting ridiculously.

Myself, Chris, Kopa, Sian, Grandmother Sarafina with Kion, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank, Carol, Rafiki, Zazu, Mr Rickers, Mr Dawson, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all walked eagerly to the table, our feet clacking loudly on the checkered golden and bruised scarlet tiled floor. Once we were all seated around the table, with Kopa at the head of it, Rafiki blessed the meal before we all tucked in.

"Great Kings of the Past, bless the food we eat, the hands that prepared it and the magic that came from those people to help prepare this wonderful meal, all of whom continue to live and prosper in the Pride Lands. We thank you," he finished, bowing his head.

"Thank you," the rest of us chanted, bowing our heads with him. Then we all began to dig in with pleasure, talk and laughter accompanying the sounds of knives and forks cutting and scraping food, which lasted until Sian opened her mouth on the one subject that was now, as the war was now over, the most important issue to her that she could not help speaking up about.

"Excuse me, Zazu, but who prepared this food? And when I say who, I mean what creatures cooked all this?"

At Sian's questions, the table fell silent, all eyes focused on Sian and Zazu. We all reacted differently: Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all rolled their eyes, with Merida even muttering, "Here we go," as she went to take a swig of pumpkin juice; Rafiki was watching them, intrigued; Mr Dawson, Kopa, Chris, Chrissie and I were all looking at Sian encouragingly; and Grandmother Sarafina, Mr Rickers, Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol were all staring at Sian, confused, but she had eyes for no one but Zazu, who was also looking at her confused as he answered her questions.

"Why, they are the staff you met the other day, my dear. People, just like you and me."

Sian expression became slightly more hopeful as she asked, "So just to be clear, there are no house-elves working here, then, being made to work without payment, and without holidays or sick leave?"

Zazu's expression became bewildered as he studied Sian closely, questioning her silently. Sian, however, said nothing, choosing to remain silent, her gaze still narrowed in Zazu's direction. Eventually, though, Zazu sighed heavily and answered her question.

"No, Miss Sian, we do not employ house-elves here at Pride Castle. All menial work is carried out by the people who work here, all of whom you met yesterday, as I said before."

"And why are there no house-elves employed here, if you don't mind me asking?"

Zazu took a long sip from his goblet of wine before answering her, "Why, the first king and queen of the Pride Lands is the reason for that, Miss Sian. They had heard of how the house-elves were treated and decided against using such creatures. They stood up for the house-elves, though, demanding for the end of the generations of brainwashing and slave labour the elves had had to endure. Alas, no one took their Majesties seriously, but that did not stop them trying to make a difference, sadly to no avail. Of course, all of this you will learn when you begin learning about the history of the Pride Lands." Zazu then looked at Sian suspiciously as he added, "But why all this sudden interest in house-elves, Miss Sian? Do you want some of them to start working here?"

Zazu had said the wrong thing, I could tell, for Sian looked affronted as she said indignantly, "Of course not, Zazu! The reason I'm interested in why there are no house-elves working here is because I want to help the poor creatures! I want their voices to be heard, their work conditions examined closely and for wizards to see the damage they are doing by standing by and doing nothing to change the way house-elves see the world. We are living in the twenty-first century, for crying out loud, and it's about time things start to change!"

Rafiki and Zazu exchanged an impressed look at each other. Then, turning back to Sian, Zazu said, "You've certainly given this subject a lot of thought, Miss Sian."

"Oh, I haven't just thought about it, Zazu; I've been an activist about elf rights since I was fourteen, but no one took me seriously."

"Didn't stop you from talking about it, though," said Chrissie, smiling proudly at her sister.

But Sian, thinking that Chrissie was patronising her, said angrily, "Well of course not, Chrissie! Change does not happen unless someone stands up and does something! After all, one voice can be just as powerful as a crowd if they're brave enough to speak up!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you, Sian!" said Chrissie hastily, looking alarmed at her sister's argumentative tone. "I'm on your side here, remember?"

"Took you long enough, though, didn't it?" Sian grumbled, glaring at Chrissie, who glared right back at her.

There was a rather uncomfortable silence, broken by Merida, who said quickly, rolling her eyes and looking annoyed, "Sian, do we have to talk about house-elves now? Surely this can wait one more day?"

Sian turned to Merida then and said, "I understand what you mean, sister, but waiting for something to happen won't accomplish anything, although I'll have to in this case. The point is is that it is about time wizards paid for their crimes against these creatures whom they think are lower than themselves …" Sian then sighed heavily and added, "Dokey is part of that."

At the mention of Dokey's name, Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I all exchanged a saddened look; Chris lay down his knife and fork and put his hand on top of mine, rubbing soothing circles over it with the pad of his thumb. Grandmother Sarafina, not understanding why we were so sad, enquired, "Dokey? Isn't she that house-elf who ruined Mavuto's party at our cottage about six years ago, Kiara?"

"Yes, Grandmother," I answered.

"What happened to her?"

"She died," I said sadly, not trusting myself to say "murdered".

There was a short, sad silence following my words. Then Grandmother Sarafina said, "I am so sorry, darling. Sarabi told me often how much you liked that elf."

I shot her a swift smile, nodding my thanks.

"How did she die?" Beth asked.

"Blame Katalina Outsider," growled Sian darkly. "She's the one who threw the knife, after all."

There were gasps of shock and outrage around the table following Sian's words: Mr Dawson even went so far as to slam his hands down on the table, his face a mask of fury, as he exclaimed, "Hasn't that woman caused enough damage to many lives as it is?"

Sian turned to Mr Dawson then, her gaze soft and gentle as she reassured him, "I understand your anger, Dad, and you have every right to be, but remember that Katalina Outsider is dead, and is therefore in a place where she can no longer hurt anyone any more. Let's all be grateful for that."

After that, the remainder of dinner progressed rather happily, as the conversation turned to more happier subjects. Once everyone had eaten as much as they could, we all split up: Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank, Carol, Mr Rickers, Mr Dawson, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave were shown to their rooms by Zazu; Rafiki went to check on the preparations for the ball; and Grandmother Sarafina, who was once more holding Kion, led Kopa, Sian, Chris and I outside to Pride Castle's gardens.

I had not taken much notice of the gardens Pride Castle had the last time I was here, not that there was much of them to see back then, but looking around now I could see that they were large, with high fences of prickly thorns surrounding the place so as to protect us from any unwanted and dangerous wildlife. The ground was fairly green with fresh shoots of grass, but was mostly brown due to the soil, but I knew that the grass would cover that all up in time. A stone pathway lay in the centre of the garden, wending its way through the grass, and somewhere in the distance a fountain was playing. On either side of the path trees stood close together, far enough away from the path so that their shadows were not touching the stone, but not so far as to be touching the thorn fence. In every tree there were new leaves shooting through, not yet big enough to make a substantial shadow on the ground, but as with the shoots of grass, I knew that this would change with time, along with the nutrients that the sun and the rain would give them.

It was under one of these groups of trees that Grandmother Sarafina, Kion, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I found ourselves sitting under, the six of us seeking the cool shelter of the shade from the baking hot sun. Grandmother Sarafina was keeping an eye on Kion, trying to make sure that he did not run too far and accidentally hurt himself, along with trying to make sure he did not get too hot by doing her best to make sure he took times out in the shade as often as possible. Kopa and Sian were talking and laughing quietly, consumed in nothing else but each other, and as I watched them, I smiled, happy for my best friend and my brother, and I hoped in that moment that they would be together for a very long time. Around me, I could see that wildlife was returning to the Pride Lands, as flies were currently buzzing around the garden, and in the distance a flock of birds was flying towards Pride Castle. I smiled to myself at seeing this. The Pride Lands were reformed.

But there was one person who did not seem to be happy to see the Pride Lands back to their former glory.

Next to me, Chris was sat brooding, looking at the ground but not really seeing it. Wanting to know what he was thinking, and to see if I could cheer him up somewhat, I said playfully, "You know, brooding is quite an unattractive look on you."

Chris jumped at my voice and looked at me, startled, blinking rapidly. I could see the question in his eyes, but once he realised what I had said he smiled sheepishly and said, "Sorry. I am giving off a bad vibe, aren't I?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but you are ruining the beauty of the place for me a little," I said, gesturing around me, keeping my tone light and teasing. Then I became serious as I asked, "So, what's going on? Why are you looking so serious on a day like today? What's bothering you?"

Chris shrugged. "Nothing's bothering me, really. I was just … thinking about what you said earlier. Nothing bad," he added quickly, catching my look of confusion and hurt, "don't worry, you didn't say anything bad, but it has just got me thinking …"

What Chris said confused me even more, not to mention worried me, for he was not making any sense. "What are you talking about, Chris? What have I said that's got you thinking seriously?"

Chris sighed heavily and said slowly, "It's just … you mentioned our wedding day earlier … and I just wondered if you … if you had ever thought about us …"

"Getting married?" I finished for him.

Chris nodded, looking right at me, watching me closely. And now it was my turn to stare at the ground as I contemplated Chris' question, for up until that moment I had not thought about marrying Chris, as I had far more important things to think about. But now … now I asked myself the question: did I really want to marry Chris? Could I actually see myself raising a family with him? Was this the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?

And looking back at Chris, I knew I had my answer.

So, taking a deep breath, I told him, "Look … I honestly don't know why I made that comment about our wedding day before - "

"Then why did you?" said Chris, the hurt evident in his eyes, making my insides squirm uncomfortably.

I tried not to show how guilty his hurt look made me feel as I answered, "I don't know. I guess I was just so caught up in teasing you in that moment that I didn't really think about what I was saying. I'm sorry for hurting you, Chris. I really am."

"Well, thanks for making me feel better," Chris said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I sighed heavily. "Look, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Chris. I wasn't thinking when I said it … But I have thought about it now …"

"And?" Chris said, sounding anxious, almost hopeful, even.

"And I think that … one day … I would want to marry you."

I watched as Chris' anxiety quickly turned into relief, which soon turned into pure, unadulterated joy, and the smile he gave me was so bright it had the power to match the sun.

"Really? You mean it?" he asked me breathlessly.

I laughed at his boyish look of happiness. "Yes, I will marry you - someday. We don't have to rush into anything any time soon. Besides," I added, "Sian's probably been secretly organising our wedding for the past few years now."

"Wouldn't surprise me," said Chris, kissing me quickly. I laughed into his mouth as we kissed, relishing in the love we had for each other, and the joy of that love.

The rest of our free time passed happily. Chris and I talked about everything and nothing, including Quidditch of course, and when we weren't talking we watched Grandmother Sarafina chasing Kion around or else playing with him, making Kopa, Sian, Chris and I all laugh with them. I found it odd to be so blissfully happy without having anything to worry about, as it had been so very long since I had allowed myself to be truly happy, but I knew that, in time, it would get easier.

After a couple of hours outside, Grandmother Sarafina, Kion, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I were summoned back inside, as it was time for us to get ready for the ball.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **The Ball**

 **KIARA**

Once back inside Pride Castle, Grandmother Sarafina, Kion, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I were quickly taken back to our rooms. Once in my own room, I was practically pushed into the on suite bathroom, where I was instructed to bathe again, and when I was done with my second bath of the day, I was immediately pulled back into the main part of my room, with a large sky blue fluffy towel wrapped around me. I was then led gently by Aisha into the chair of my armoire as she and four other maids, including Ode, got started on my hair and makeup. I stayed silent as they worked, having nothing to say and not really thinking of anything. I just sat there comfortable, listening to Ode and Aisha say things like, "Her hair should be like this, shouldn't it?", and, "Put some colour on her cheeks - but not too much!", and, "Her eyeshadow should match her dress, shouldn't it?" every now and again.

Once they were done, they stood back and I allowed myself to look in the mirror, and I gasped aloud with joy when I saw what they had done: my hair was tied back in an elegant knot, with each strand twirled, curled and fitted delicately in place; silvery blue eyeshadow had been applied, my cheeks were lightly dusted with a rosy pink colour and my lips had been coloured with a light shade of pink. I touched my face delicately, pleased with the results, as I smiled softly.

Aisha and Ode smiled behind me, and Aisha, wanting to know what I was thinking, asked, "So, what do you think, your Highness?"

Meeting their gazes in the mirror, I smiled and said, "I love what you've done so far. Thank you."

Both women smiled proudly at the praise I gave them. Aisha said, "Don't thank us just yet, your Highness, for we still have your dress fitting to do. Come on."

And so, I was fit into my dress, which had been created by the castle's seamstress, who had, from what I had heard, got my measurements from Sian, whom she had met a few days prior to the funeral, and since then she had been working tirelessly to get the dress right.

Anyway, I was stood on a stool and was told by Aisha to stand as still as I possibly could whilst she and Ode worked. Following the seamstress' instructions, they tightened things up and added the last few finishing touches on to it by finishing off the sewing. When it was finished at last, Aisha and Ode got an oval, floor length mirror in front of me and, just like I had done with my makeup, I gasped aloud with joy at what I was seeing.

I was wearing what appeared to be a waterfall in royal blue: long, elegant and flowing, that was decorated with tiny silver sparkles at odd intervals, which only added to the shimmering effect it gave off. The dress also had a square neckline and short butterfly sleeves, and the hems, sleeves and a little belt that was around the middle were all a pale shade of silver.

I then turned to Aisha and Ode, who were both watching me expectantly, and I smiled and said, "Thank you. _Both_ of you. You have both done a wonderful job."

Aisha and Ode both smiled graciously at my praise.

"Thank you, your Highness," said Ode quietly, she and Aisha curtseying politely, which I returned.

I was then helped down from the stool and I held on to Ode's hand as I got into a pair of silver medium heels, which were very comfortable for me to wear, which was a relief, as there was a long night ahead.

Just then, there came a knock at the door. I cast a quick smile at Aisha and Ode, then I crossed the room quickly and opened the door to find Chris on the other side, wearing dress robes of royal green, the hems and cuffs of which had been decorated in pale gold.

I stepped out of the room and into the corridor then, making sure to leave enough room for Aisha and Ode, who quickly hurried past me, closing the door swiftly behind them and then marching off down the corridor and down the stairs to the floors below, but I paid no heed to them, focusing only on Chris, who had not spoken a word since I had opened the door, but was just standing there, completely speechless, taking me in.

The longer he stood there, observing me in silence, the more nervous I got. What if he did not like what I was wearing? Did I smell bad? Should I have done something different with my hair? But I need not have worried, for after a minute or two of silence, Chris blinked rapidly and croaked, "You - uh - look … stunning."

Inwardly I breathed a sigh of relief as I felt myself relax by his words. I smiled and blushed at his compliment as I told him, "You don't look so bad yourself, mister."

Chris smirked devilishly, his forest green eyes sparkling with mischief, as he said, "Well, I'm glad you think so highly of my dashing good looks."

I rolled my eyes at him and swatted his arm playfully. Chris laughed good naturedly as he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on my cheek. My eyes fluttered closed as his lips softly touched my skin, but he did not linger for too long, as a distinct, deep male cough made Chris break contact with my skin, as the two of us quickly turned in the direction of the cough to see who had interrupted us.

We saw that it was Kopa and Sian who were striding towards us, purposefully yet gracefully, from the far end of the corridor, her arm linked through his, the pair of them smiling at us. Kopa was wearing dress robes of royal red, the cuffs and hems had been decorated with purest gold; and Sian was a vision in royal purple, the dress of which reached down to the floor and clung close to her body, showing off her muscles yet still retaining a feminine air. The dress also had a sweetheart neckline and her shoulders were bare, and the tulip sleeves reached to just below her elbows and were of purist silver, as were the hems of the dress, the V-shaped belt she had around her middle and the silver sparkles that were placed at odd intervals all over the dress. For her hair, Sian had the hair on the crown of her head tied up in a high ponytail, as the rest of her hair hung loose down her back. And of course, around her neck hung her mother's phoenix pendant, laying pride of place heavily on her chest, just as Grandmother Sarabi's amber necklace hung around my neck, shining like a honey-coloured pebble gleaming in the sunlight. And in that moment, seeing them together like that, I did not see my brother and my best friend. Instead I saw them as the future King and Queen of the Pride Lands, and as a great beacon of hope for what the wizarding world could be.

When they were standing right in front of us, I said, "Wow, you guys look amazing," as Chris nodded in agreement.

Kopa and Sian both beamed at my praise. "Thanks. So do you," said Sian.

It was then mine and Chris' turn to beam widely as Zazu came hurrying up the stairs behind us. He smiled approvingly when he was close enough to see us fully, and once he was stood next to Kopa he spoke.

"Good, you are all dressed finely for the ball. Excellent." Then, turning to my brother, he added, "The congregation is waiting for you all in the ballroom. Master Kopa, you and Mistress Sian will go up front, and Mistress Kiara and Master Christopher will follow on behind. So get into position now and follow me, if you please …"

And so, with Kopa and Sian in front and Chris and I following on from behind, Zazu led us down to the ballroom. Sian was standing on Kopa's left, her arm placed delicately in the crook of his elbow, as he free hand held part of her dress up so that she could walk a little easier; and I was also on Chris' left, my arm in the crook of his elbow as my other hand held on to my dress. True, I was quite nervous to be at the centre of attention, seeing as I was worried that I might trip up and embarrass myself, but I knew that Chris would be there to support me no matter what, and I wanted to be seen with him, because I was proud to be seen with him, and that gave me all the courage I needed to hold my head up high, face the world and show everyone that Chris and I belonged to each other.

After several long minutes of walking, Zazu, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I finally came to a stop in front of a pair of large, heavy red doors made our of red wood, which I figured opened up to the ballroom, and when joined together the brass handles made up a lion's face.

Zazu turned to face Kopa, Sian, Chris and I then and said, "Now, the four of you will wait here shortly. When you hear the fanfare, the doors will open and the four of you will enter exactly as you are now and will proceed to the middle of the ballroom where, with the person next to you, you will get ready to dance. Remember, when you enter the ballroom, hold your heads up high, keep your eyes fixed directly in front of you, not down, and don't forget to _smile_. This is meant to be a happy day, after all.

"Right, I'll go and get the band ready, then. Do excuse me." And Zazu bowed swiftly before turning on his heel and pushing one of the doors to the ballroom open for a second; inside, I could hear the murmured sounds of talk and laughter amongst the partygoers, but they were quickly extinguished by Zazu, who had closed the door behind him, leaving myself, Chris, Kopa and Sian in silence again.

None of us spoke as we waited for the doors to open. I shuffled my feet nervously as I stood there, my hand gripping Chris' arm tightly, so tightly that I did not realise that I was hurting him until he touched my hand with his free one, and only when I saw how tightly I was gripping Chris' arm did I ease up a little. Looking up at him, I tried to apologise, but Chris just shook his head and brought the hand that was holding his arm up to his lips, kissed it swiftly and put it back. Sian, sensing how nervous I was, turned round and flashed me a reassuring smile. I smiled back at her and she nodded and turned to face the red doors, just as the fanfare started and the doors opened inwardly. I breathed a quick breath of courage as I fixed a smile on my face and gripped Chris' arm quite tightly as we walked into the ballroom.

Together, Kopa and Sian and Chris and I walked down a set of four stairs into the main part of the ballroom, which was wide and large with a marble white floor decorated with gold, and high arched windows were spread evenly on the terracotta walls, in front of which the sea of red stood on either side, all bowing as we walked. At the far end of the ballroom, another set of four stairs led up to two thrones, bhind which a large portrait in a gilded frame hung of my parents, which I figured must have been painted shortly after their coronation. Above on the balcony sat an orchestra ready to play, as directly above the people standing on either side of the ballroom, where the balcony seemed to continue, a number of trumpeters were playing the royal fanfare, stopping once Kopa and Sian and Chris and I were in the centre of the ballroom.

As the four of us prepared to dance, the ballroom doors closed loudly and the throng of red stood up straight again. I focused only on Chris as he put his hand on my waist, and as he did so I felt my heart begin to race as my breath caught in my throat and all the blood rushed to my cheeks. I looked at Chris, who was smiling knowingly at me, but I tried as hard as I could not to let him know how much he affected me as the music began.

As soon as Chris and I started twirling across the dancefloor together, I forgot about everyone else in the room, for as I kept my eyes locked on his everyone else seemed to disappear, and it felt to me as though only he and I existed. I remembered the first time we had danced together properly at the Yule Ball all those years ago, how safe and warm and comfortable it felt to be dancing in his arms, and how warm his gaze and smile were, that it made me wonder how on earth I could have been so blind, to his feelings as well as my own, for I had never felt so at ease with another person, not even Khan. Looking at Chris now, though, seeing how confident a dancer he was and how much he loved me, it seemed to me like we were made to dance together, amongst other things that we would go on to do together.

Chris and I moved effortlessly, fluently even, across the dancefloor, and I could not help the giggle that escaped my lips as he picked me up and spun me around, and my smile grew even wider as I saw the laughter in Chris' eyes.

When my feet touched the ground again, I looked over at Kopa and Sian, who were focused on nothing but each other, their eyes and smiles full of love for each other as they glided across the dancefloor. Sian then caught my eye and she smiled at me. I smiled back at her, and then we both turned back to our respectful partners and carried on.

Once the music had ended on its last sweet, vibrating note, I curtseyed and Chris bowed, Sian and Kopa doing the exact same thing, as the crowd around us burst into applause. As Chris and I righted ourselves, we smiled at everyone around us; but as Chris took my hand in his, something unexpected happened, which made the applause stop and many people gasped in shock and fear, with a few even screaming and taking a few steps back.

A large, blinding bright white light shone over the balcony where the orchestra were playing, obscuring them and many of the trumpeters from sight. Myself, Chris, Kopa, Sian and many others shielded our eyes as we looked into the light, trying to see what was beyond it, but as the light was so bright none of us could see anything.

Then, three shadows started coming into view, rippling in the bright white light as they slowly started to descend down to us. Around me, I heard gasps and murmurings of fear from the sea of red, not that I could blame them. I wanted to reassure my people that there was nothing to fear, but how could i when i could not even convince myself that there wasn't? I tried to not show any fear, even as I gripped Chris' hand tightly, and Aurors surrounded Kopa, Sian, Chris and I, their wands pointed at the shadows, though I did not know how much use magic was going to be against them.

As the shadows came closer to the ground and their shapes became more identifiable, I saw that they were not people, but three Animal Spirits: a warthog and two wolves, and I noticed that one of the wolf's fur was bubblegum-pink in colour, as was the aura surrounding it, and it was then that all the fear I had left me, for I knew not only who they were, but that there was also no danger.

"Lower your wands!" a voice cried loudly, suddenly, but it was only when I saw that everyone was looking at me like I had grown another head did I realise that it was I who had spoken: apparently my mouth had decided to run ahead of my brain with me even realising it.

"But - your Highness - " said one of the Aurors slowly, as if they were trying to explain to me how two and two make four, "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea - you don't even know what - "

"Do as the Princess says!" said Rafiki, who had approached us without anyone noticing, so that we all jumped when we heard him. He was surveying the scene calmly, unlike Zazu, who was stood a few feet behind him, and who was looking on nervously. "There is no danger here! So, please, lower your wands and stand back."

Many of the Aurors turned to Zazu for confirmation, who, after looking at Rafiki uncertainly for a moment or two, nodded. Slowly, one by one, the Aurors lowered their wands and backed away from Kopa, Sian, Chris and I.

Meanwhile, the warthog and the two wolves were still descending, almost from the heavens (or so it seemed to me) and as soon as their hooves and paws touched the floor, they turned into their human selves: the warthog became Pumbaa, and the two wolves became Meers and Todd, all of whom were wearing the same clothes they had died in, but the three of them seemed a lot more happier, carefree and relazed from the last time I had seen them - _alive_ , anyway.

Meers and Todd were the first to greet us. Meers bowed and Todd curtseyed, as did Chris and I. They then shook hands with Chris, first Meers, then Todd, and then they both hugged me at the same time, which I returned. When they let go of me I saw that they were both beaming widely at me.

"Well done, Kiara," said Todd.

"We are both so proud of you," said Meers.

"Thanks, you guys," I told them. "I'll try to be the best Godmother I can be to Timmy, I promise."

"We know you will," said Meers, as Todd nodded. They then moved on to Sian and Kopa, and once the couples had bowed and curtseyed to each other and hands had been shaken, Todd then saw her mother and child and ran to them eagerly, Meers hot on her heels. Once she reached her mother, Todd hugged her and took her baby back, holding him close to her chest as Meers ruffled the boy's hair playfully.

As this was going on, Chris and I had bowed to Pumbaa, who had bowed to us, and just like Meers and Todd he shook hands with Chris and hugged me.

"Well done, kid," said Pumbaa, when we had let go of each other.

"Thanks, Pumbaa."

He smiled and nodded at me, then he bowed in front of Sian and Kopa, who bowed and curtseyed back. Once he had shaken hands with both of them and wished them well, Pumbaa strode over to Meers and Todd, where he was introduced to their child and was allowed to hold him.

My attention was then drawn back to the bright white light as two more shadows descended from it, and as they became more distinct I saw that they were a lion and a lioness, and they both had a different coloured glow surrounding them: the lion had a golden aura around him, and the lioness had an amber aura surrounding her. Just before they touched the floor, they transformed into their human counterparts, and in this case they were the figures of my Grandfather Mufasa and Grandmother Sarabi.

As the both stood to their full height, both of them emitting power and silently commanding respect, everyone in the ballroom bowed to them, myself, Kopa, Sian and Chris included. As Grandmother Sarabi took Grandfather Mufasa's arm and they began to walk towards us, I noticed that their clothes were not the ones they had died in (in Grandfather Mufasa's case, I'm just guessing, seeing as I did not see him die): they were wearing regal-looking robes, Grandmother Sarabi in royal yellow, and Grandfather Mufasa in deep red, which suited them rather fittingly as the old King and Queen of the Pride Lands.

Once my grandparents were stood directly in front of my brother and Sian, Grandfather Mufasa said in his deep, powerful voice, that carried loudly across the ballroom, despite him not speaking that loudly, "Rise, all of you."

We all stood at once. Instead of addressing my brother like I thought he would, Grandfather Mufasa turned to Rafiki and Zazu, who were still stood beside us, instead, and, smiling broadly at them, said, "Rafiki, Zazu, it is good to see you both again. It has been far too long."

"Likewise, my friend," said Rafiki, inclining his head slightly.

"Indeed it is, my Lord," said Zazu, also inclining his head, and then spotting Grandmother Sarabi, he added hastily, "and you as well, Lady Sarabi."

Grandmother Sarabi smiled kindly and said, "Thank you, Rafiki. Thank you, Zazu." Then she closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and, exhaling and opening her eyes, she added, "It's so good to be back."

Grandfather Mufasa nodded. Then both he and Grandmother Sarabi turned their attention back on Kopa and Sian, both of whom were looking quite nervous under Grandfather Mufasa's quite stern eye. Dropping Grandmother Sarabi's arm, he walked closer to Kopa and Sian, his gaze fixed on my brother his face expressionless, only stopping when he was almost nose to nose with my brother.

For a while, neither one spoke, each just staring at the other. Grandfather Mufasa's face was still expressionless, whereas Kopa's was betraying how nervous he really felt, not that I could blame him, for my grandfather was quite an intimidating figure to behold: tall, strong, broad, with small, sharp eyes, and a smooth, bushy, tawny-coloured beard obscuring the lower half of his face. Even I was nervous for my brother, and in all honesty, I was slightly afraid of my grandfather in that moment.

The silence stretched on and on as my grandfather and older brother continued to look at each other, as everyone else in the ballroom looked at them. No one seemed to be breathing, like everyone had taken a big breath at the exact same moment and were afraid to breathe again in case my grandfather turned on them; and the tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I looked at Sian, who was glancing between Grandfather Mufasa and Kopa nervously, not that I could blame her.

Eventually, though, after many minutes, Grandfather Mufasa's expression and posture relaxed, as his eyes sparkled with kindness and love and he opened his arms out widely. Kopa blinked, surprised by our grandfather's sudden change of mood. He hesitated, looking at our grandfather cautiously, but his beard twitched upwards at the corners as he smiled and nodded, and that was al it took for my older brother and grandfather to embrace, slapping each other on the back.

The moment Grandfather Mufasa and Kopa hugged each other, everyone in the ballroom felt it safe to breathe again, all of us letting out a breath none of us had known we had been holding until then, and some even laughing in relief. We all then watched as Grandfather Mufasa and Kopa let go of each other, both still smiling, and said, "Welcome home."

Kopa's smile became wider as he said, "It's so good to be home at last, Grandfather. I'm just sorry it took so long to make it back here."

"I'm just happy you made it home, son. As are we all," said Grandfather Mufasa, gesturing around to the ballroom at large. Kopa smiled, relieved that our grandfather was not mad at him, and as Grandmother Sarabi hurried over to Kopa, Grandfather Mufasa turned to Sian, who had been watching the interaction between him and Kopa with a sweet smile on her face for the latter part, but now looked nervous again at being scrutinised by my grandfather.

"So," said Grandfather Mufasa shortly, studying Sian closely, "you are the young woman who has captured my grandson's heart?"

"Indeed I am, sire," said Sian, biting her lip anxiously.

Grandfather Mufasa paused for a moment, his face expressionless once more, then continued, choosing his words carefully, "I have heard many things about you, Sian Zoe Katrina Dawson, and I have been watching you closely … and while I have disapproved with some of the rather ... unorthodox methods of punishment you have used on your siblings and my granddaughter in the past - " Sian lowered her eyes as her cheeks burned bright red, "I can see that you care a great deal about them. You are a very brave, wise, kind and courageous young woman, who is fiercely loyal to her friends, family, and to those you wish to protect. I can also see that you are very much like your mother in some ways, Sian Zoe Katrina Dawson, and yet you are quite different in others ..."

Sian chose that moment to look cautiously back up at my grandfather, and though his expression had not changed, I'd like to think that his eyes shone slightly kinder …

"I knew your mother quite well," Grandfather Mufasa went on, "and I know of the many mistakes she has made with you, and my granddaughter, but something that she made no mistake about was knowing just how much good you and Kiara have done for each other, for I believe that Kiara's sweet nature and innocence melted your heart, which led you to find love in Kopa. And I have to say, I could not be more happier for you both, and I am proud to welcome you into our family."

Sian beamed widely at my grandfather's praise. "Thank you, sir," she said breathlessly.

Grandfather Mufasa beamed at her and kissed her cheek. Then, as he walked over to Chris and I, Grandmother Sarabi and Sian embraced like a loving mother and child, which I did not mind, seeing as I considered Sian as a sister.

As this was happening, Grandfather Mufasa stopped in front of Chris and was smiling proudly at him as he extended his hand. Blinking back his surprise, Chris took it and they shook hands. Once this was done, my grandfather said, "It is an honour to finally meet the man who has my granddaughter's heart."

"It is a pleasure to meet you too, sir," said Chris. "And an honour," he added hastily.

Grandfather Mufasa chuckled. "I must say," he went on, once his laughter had subsided, "I am impressed by how you stood by Kiara's side as her friend, even though you always longed to be more than that."

Chris sighed heavily. "I'll admit, it hasn't always been easy, and there have been times in the past when all I wanted to do was tell her how I really felt about her, but I didn't, because somehow I knew that we would one day end up together, because if something's worth fighting for that you believe in, then you'll do anything it takes to make it happen - even if there is suffering involved, as suffering through the hard times to achieve what you want makes it all worthwhile in the end."

I blushed at Chris' words and the deep, intense look he was giving me, which said more than a thousand words ever could. Grandfather Mufasa clapped him on the shoulder and moved over to me, as Grandmother Sarabi strode over to Chris and hugged him fiercely.

Unlike Kopa, Sian and Chris, I greeted my grandfather warmly and without any trace of nervousness or fear, and he looked at me with nothing but unadulterated love and pride shining in his eyes.

"Hello, Grandfather," I said warmly.

"My dear Kiara," he said, holding his arms out wide as he hugged me, and I wrapped my arms around him, holding him tightly. We held each other for several long minutes, until he drew back slightly and cupped my face. Grandfather Mufasa's eyes shone with pride as he said, "My darling granddaughter, you have done so well, and we are all so proud of you."

"Thank you, Grandfather," I said.

My grandfather's expression turned slightly more serious as he went on," I know that the road back here has been long, difficult and messy, and that you had some hesitation about returning to the Pride Lands, which is understandable, but at least you managed to come back and take care of your responsibilities after a few months and not several years, unlike a certain son of mine ..."

"Grandfather!" I said reprovingly.

Grandfather Mufasa chuckled. "You know what I mean, Kiara."

I rolled my eyes. He continued.

"In all seriousness, though, it may have taken both you and Kopa quite a while to get back here, but eventually you found your way home, Kiara."

"Thank you, Grandfather." Grandfather Mufasa then kissed my cheek and stepped back as Grandmother Sarabi rushed to embrace me.

"Grandmother Sarabi!" I cried delightedly into her shoulder.

"Hello, sweetie! Ooh, look at you," she added, as she stood back to take me in. "What a fine Princess you'll make, won't she, Muffy?"

"One of the finest these Lands has seen yet, I'd say," said Grandfather Mufasa proudly. I beamed under his praise as Grandmother Sarabi turned back to me.

"Welcome home, darling," she said sweetly.

I just smiled at her, having no words to explain how grateful I was to be back home. Grandmother Sarabi understood, for she kissed my cheek, touched the same cheek affectionately and smiled at me fondly for a moment before turning back to me grandfather.

"Come on, Muffy. It's time for you to meet your other grandson …"

As Grandmother Sarabi led Grandfather Mufasa over to where Grandmother Sarafina stood with the Smiths, with Kion still in her arms, two more shadows descended from the bright white light, and as they became more distinct I knew, from the moment I saw Grandfather Mufasa and Grandmother Sarabi, that they would come; and as the lion and lioness, both with a golden aura around them, reached the floor, my heart leapt with excitement and happiness at seeing them again ...

As the lion and lioness' paws touched the floor, the blinding bright white light vanished, and those trumpeters and orchestra members who had been obscured from view and blinded by it were blinking and shaking their heads rapidly, trying to clear their vision.

But I was not focusing on them. No, my focus was on the people the lion and lioness had turned into, who were, of course, my parents, who were both wearing robes: my mother wore royal blue and silver, and my father wore royal red and gold. They were also wearing crowns: my mother wore a simple, elegant silver band, intricately knotted, that was fitted with moonstones, and in the centre of the crown was a full moon, shining brightly; and my father's crown was heavy and golden, and in the centre of it was a sun that, like the moon on my mother's crown, was shining brightly.

Just like with my grandparents, once my parents had risen fully, everyone in the ballroom bowed respectfully to them, and just like my grandfather, my father said, his voice carrying across the ballroom, "Rise, all of you."

Once we had all stood up again, my mother wasted no time in running to Kopa, throwing her arms around him and beginning to sob convulsively on to his shoulder. Kopa held her as he buried his head on her shoulder, neither ready to let the other go any time soon.

After some time had passed, though, they did let go of each other. My mother touched Kopa's face tenderly, delicately, as though she was checking to see if he was, indeed, real: she studied his face carefully, taking in every inch of his face through tear-streaked eyes, and when he touched her hand and nodded, she smiled happily and sobbed, "My baby's alive!", as she threw her arms around him once more.

Kopa rolled his eyes at our mother's words, as his cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Mum, I'm not a kid any more! You can't call me your baby!"

Mum let him go then, pride and love shining in her eyes as she looked up at Kopa. Wiping her tears away with her fingers, she smiled at him and said, "I'm sorry, Kopa, but no matter how old you get or where you go, you'll always be my baby boy." Mum then looked him up and down once, touched the front of his robes softly and said, "Look how you've grown! Why, you're the spitting image of your father - and just as handsome, too."

 _"Mum, stop!"_ Kopa groaned, clearly mortified.

Mum laughed and said, "I'm sorry, Kopa. It's just that I am so happy to know that you are alive and well, that's all." She then touched his cheek tenderly and turned to Sian, smiling warmly at her. "And this is the lovely young woman who has captured your heart," she said, hugging Sian, which lasted only briefly, for when Mum pulled back to look at her, there was coldness laced with suspicion in her eyes, and her voice had a bitter edge to it as she asked, "You knew my son was alive for many years, and yet you never told Simba nor I that you know. Why? Why did you keep that from us?"

Sian's smile had faded by this point, and she seemed to falter under all the accusing eyes staring at her; even my father was watching her suspiciously. But Sian quickly recovered as she tried her best to ignore everyone else around her, focusing solely on my mother, who was watching her patiently, waiting for an answer. But as Sian opened her mouth to speak, Kopa came to her rescue.

"Don't blame Sian too harshly, Mum. I told her not to tell anyone I was still alive."

Mum blinked furiously, clearly taken aback, as she turned her attention back to my father, and looking at him, I could see that he was just as shaken as Mum was by his words.

" _You_ asked her not to tell us that you were still alive?" said Mum slowly, drawing my focus back on her, as she was trying to make sense of it all. "Why did you do that? Do you have any idea of what it did to us, thinking you were dead all those years?"

"I do, Mum, and I'm sorry," said Kopa desperately, willing her to understand, "but I had to do that - "

""Had to?" You didn't _"have to"_ do that at all, putting your father and I through all that pain!"

"Actually, I did," said Kopa; he was starting to lose patience with her now.

"Why?"

"To protect you and Dad!" Kopa shouted. Taking a deep breath, Kopa went on, slightly more calmly, "That's why I had to keep on making you and Dad and Kiara and the rest of the world, not just the rest of our family, believe I was dead, because if Zira or the Love Destroyers found out that I was still alive ... well, can you imagine what that would do to me - to us? - and to anyone else who knew?"

Whispers filled the ballroom as everyone around us turned to each other and were discussing what Kopa had just said. I then looked at my mother, whose expression had softened slightly as she thought about my brother's words. She then looked at Sian, uncertainty clouding her features. Needing guidance and council, she turned to my father, silently asking him for advice, and slowly but surely the ballroom fell silent as everyone took notice of my parents, particularly my father, who was waiting patiently to speak.

Once the ballroom was still and silent again, my father, who had thought about his answer carefully, said, "You have every right to be angry with our son and Sian, Nala, but you must see that they kept quiet about our son's identity to protect not only himself, but us also. And the fact that Sian did not say a word to anyone about our son still being alive just goes to show how loyal she is."

My mother smiled at my father and, turning back to Sian, she said, "I am sorry for being angry with you, my dear, I just want what's best for my son and to protect him, even though he's not a child any more. Do you understand?"

"I do."

Mum smiled at Sian and went on, "Though I do wish that you would have told Simba and I that Kopa was alive all this time, I see now that you had to keep quiet about his true identity to protect him - and the rest of our family - from harm, which shows not only loyalty to our son, but also just how much respect and love him. Therefore, I hope that you will both live a long and happy life together."

Kopa and Sian looked at each other, more than a little surprised by my mother's last words, but they soon got over it as they smiled with joy at what she really meant. Turning back to her, Sian said, "Thank you, Nala," as Kopa nodded gratefully beside her.

Mum walked over to her and hugged her, and Sian, after a moment's hesitation, hugged her back. Mum then ended the hug, kissed her cheek, smiled at her and then moved swiftly across the ballroom floor to talk to Chris.

Chris smiled nervously at her approach, why I did not know, as she had never given him reason to be worried in front of her before (well, apart from when he, Sian, Chrissie and I first met her and my father, but the circumstances were entirely different then).

"Ah, young Master Rickers," said Mum, when she was stood right in front of Chris.

"Hello, Nala," he said. Then he added rather nervously, "Wait, it's still OK for me to call you Nala, right?"

Mum chuckled and said, "Relax, Chris, I am the same woman I have always been, and of course you may still call me Nala. Heaven knows I hate propriety, anyway."

I saw Chris visibly relax at this news, and Mum smiled reassuringly at him as she went on.

"Now, Simba told me all about you asking for his blessing Christmas before last to give to you and Kiara, and after hearing everything you told Simba, and seeing how close you and Kiara have become these past couple of months, I can honestly say that there is no one else I can see taking care of my daughter than you. You have my blessing also, Chris. Take care of my daughter."

"I'll do my best to be the best man I can be for her, Nala," said Chris, his eyes portraying a firm promise of love that would stay with him for many years to come.

"I know you will," said Mum. She then kissed his cheek, rubbed the spot where she had kissed him tenderly with her fingers and gave him a smile, which Chris returned. Then Mum turned to me, giving me the warmest smile yet, and she ran to me eagerly, throwing her arms around me, holding me delicately, as though she were afraid of losing me at any moment.

"Mum," I breathed, burying my face into her shoulder as I hugged her back, smiling as she stroked my hair.

"My darling girl," Mum sighed happily. Then, with one last squeeze, she let go of me and cupped my face lightly in her hands, her eyes sparkling with pride and love. "We are all so proud of you, sweetheart. Welcome home."

"Thanks, Mum," I said. Mum kissed my cheek, smiled at me lovingly and then turned to where Grandmother Sarafina stood with Kion in her arms, and she ran to them just as eagerly as she ran to me.

"Mum!" she yelled delightedly as she and Grandmother Sarafina hugged, being careful to not crush Kion.

"Oh, Nala! My Nala!" Grandmother Sarafina breathed in relief, as tears of joy trickled down her cheeks, smiling as she and Mum let go of each other. "I'm so happy to see you again when I never thought I would - for the rest of this life, at least."

"It's good to see you too, Mum." Mother and daughter then kissed each other on the cheek, and then Grandmother Sarafina held Kion out to my mother, who was struggling in our grandmother's arms, eager to get to her. Mum laughed joyously as she took her baby back, spinning him around in the air, his giggles joining her laughter, which was infectious to all who heard it.

"Who's Mummy's big boy?" Mum said to Kion, once she had stopped spinning around with him, in that teasing voice that all parents use with their babies as she bounced him in her arms. "Who's Mummy's big boy?"

Another giggle answered her question, which was met with laughter and "aww"'s from the rest of us, which faded pretty quickly as Aunt Mavuto stepped forward and stood next to Grandmother Sarafina, staring at my mother with nothing but regret.

"Mavuto," said Mum coldly.

"Hello, Nala," said Aunt Mavuto nervously. "It's been a while …"

"Not nearly long enough from where I'm standing," said Mum bitterly.

Aunt Mavuto blinked and blushed at this remark, but this did not break her resolve as she went on, "Look, Nala, there are some things I need to say to you that I should have said a long time ago - "

"Yes, and there are quite a few things that I want to say to you, too!" Mum cut across her, her voice rising in anger. Everyone else inside the ballroom was quiet now, all of us gazing nervously at the two sisters, one angry, the other remorseful.

"First of all," Mum went on, "do you remember, all those years ago, on my first journey to Dragon Mort, when you stood there in the Sub House and called me a freak? Do you have any idea how much that hurt me coming from you, my own sister? I did nothing to you, absolutely _nothing_ , and yet you still managed to hurt me and practically destroyed our relationship from that day on!"

"I know," said Aunt Mavuto, as her eyes filled with tears, "and I'm - "

"Not done!" Mum spat, cutting off Aunt Mavuto. "And then, to add insult to injury, years later, you showed the same hatred you gave to me to my daughter, a girl who did absolutely nothing to you, a girl who only wanted you to love her. Instead, all Kiara got was cruel words and punishments at your hands, Mavuto, and your hatred of my daughter and I your own girl was quick to pick up on. So why did you do it, Mav? Why did you hurt Kiara the same way you hurt me, even more so?"

Aunt Mavuto sighed deeply and said, "Because when I looked at her all I could see was you, and all the jealousy and envy and spite that I felt for you that I had buried long ago, Nal, all came rushing back."

"And that makes how you treated Kiara OK, does it?" Mum shrieked, her face a mask of pure fury.

"No, of course not!" said Aunt Mavuto quickly, pleading with her eyes for Mum to understand. "It was wrong of me to do that - to look at Kiara and see you and treat her with coldness she did not deserve because she's different. But I was wrong; despite how I've treated her, I haven't been blind to see the amazing young woman she's become - and I'm not just saying that because she saved Carol's life, though that certainly is part of it. But what I'm trying to say is that Kiara is a good person, and a good witch too, I'll bet, just like you are, Nal. So can we please forget everything that's happened these past God knows how many years and start over, for I'd like to get to know you, Nala, I really would. Besides, Kiara's already forgiven me. So can you?"

As Aunt Mavuto spoke, I kept my focus upon my mother, watching as her expression slowly softened, and when she had finished talking, my mother slowly turned her head in my direction, only stopping when her eyes found mine, questioning me. I smiled and nodded at her eagerly. Seeing this, Mum nodded once, curtly, then turned back to Aunt Mavuto and said, "You know, you have been a right difficult bi- "

 _"Nala!"_ said my father reproachfully, carefully.

Realising where she was and who she was surrounded by, Mum collected herself, shook her head and said, "Look, Mavuto … I know that things between us have been rather … difficult over the years, to say the least, and that you have treated Kiara with nothing but scorn and ridicule - as well as me, for that matter - but if Kiara is willing to forgive you for everything you did to her and start anew ... then so can I."

Aunt Mavuto sighed visibly as Mum smiled at her and held out her free arm wide. Aunt Mavuto quickly tan to my mother and, minding Kion, hugged her. Everyone else visibly relaxed at this, smiling, relieved and happy at seeing the two sisters reunite and forgive and forgetting all that had happened between them. But what made me happiest of all was seeing Grandmother Sarafina happy at seeing her daughters beginning to reshapen the bond that had been broken for so many years; tears of pure joy were streaming down her cheeks as she ran to her daughters and embraced them both at the same time.

"My girls! My girls!" she cried happily, and no more needed to be said than that, for I knew, as did some in the ballroom, just how much it meant to Grandmother Sarafina for my mother and Aunt Mavuto to make up after so many years of resentment and bitterness driving a wedge between them.

I then turned to my father, who had been watching the same scene with a small, simple smile, but was now moving steadily across the ballroom floor, drawing all eyes to his imposing, regal figure, as he headed towards Kopa and Sian first of all, but instead of greeting them first, he turned to where Rafiki and Zazu were still stood beside them, smiling warmly at them as he bowed respectfully to him.

My father, once he was stood directly in front of Rafiki and Zazu, shook their hands one at a time, hugged them both separately, then stood back a little and said, "Rafiki, Zazu, it is so good to see you both again, my old friends."

"It is good to see you, too, Simba," said Zazu, smiling fondly at my father.

"It has been too long since we last met, Simba," said Rafiki, "and I only wish that we were meeting again under different circumstances …"

"So do I, my friend," said my father, smiling sadly. "So do I …"

Rafiki and my father shared a brief moment of silent understanding, and then my father's eyes found Kopa's, and as he looked upon his firstborn his smile faded as his expression turned more serious. Under our father's scrutinising gaze, Kopa began to look nervous, and his nerves slowly increased as he walked slowly to him. Once my father was directly in front of my brother, I almost gasped aloud in shock at how much they looked like each other. Of course, I already knew how much they looked alike already, as they had the same eye shape and colour, the same long nose, the same hair and the same height: you could have almost mistaken them for being brothers! but seeing my father and my brother standing face to face with each other for the first time really put things into perspective for me.

Another long, uncomfortable silence filled the ballroom again, and once more no one dared to speak, move or even breathe as my father and my brother stared at each other: my father impassive, my brother nervous. I was sure I was not the only one thinking, _"Will one of you please just say something already?"_ , but I did not dare to speak it, as it was not my place to say anything.

After several long minutes had passed, Kopa finally took a deep breath and, his voice trembling slightly, said, "Father … there are no words I can say to truly express how sorry I am that I lied to you, and Mum, and Kiara and to everyone else who didn't know who I really was. It was never my intention to hurt you, Father ... but it was the only way I could keep our family safe, please try to understand that. I know I don't deserve it from you, Father, after all that I put you and Mum through, but I do hope that you can find it in your heart to - "

My brother was cut off by my father, who had raised his hand for silence. Kion was looking nervous again, not that I could blame him; I think the entire ballroom was nervous for him, too. But Kopa's nerves, as well as everyone else's, were quickly extinguished, as for the first time my father smiled warmly at my brother and, holding his arms out wide, said the only words he could that let everyone know that he had forgiven his son:

"My son … you've come home."

My father then hugged Kopa, and I watched as he froze for a brief moment, his face a mask of pure shock, then he quickly got over it and hugged him back, smiling in relief and happiness, blinking back unshed tears of happiness, but our father was unafraid to show his feelings as he wept openly and, feeling this, Kopa then let his tears fall, and for a while father and son remained in that embrace, crying tears of joy and occasionally slapping each other on the back. Then, after several long minutes of remaining this way, my father and Kopa gave each other one final pat on the back and let go. They shared a tearful smile, and then our father turned his attention to Sian, who smiled and curtseyed respectfully to him before he spoke.

My father studied Sian carefully, clearly thinking over his words, as his eyes scrutinised her, making Sian nervous, not that I could blame her. The first words he spoke to her, though, were not what any of us were expecting.

"You know, Sian, when I found out that you were the Girl Who Saves the World … I don't think any of us quite knew what to think. Then again, who did? But I have to say that this has only increased the respect I have for you, and though I was not pleased to learn that you had kept the truth about my firstborn son a secret from Nala and I, the fact that you did shows you loyalty and love for my son." My father's eyes then sparkled with love for Sian as he added, "You must know, Sian, that for a long time now I have always seen you as a daughter, and after everything you've been through and all the help and support you and the rest of your family have given mine, especially Kiara, I have no objection to you being with Kopa."

Kopa and Sian looked at each other, surprised yet happy with what my father had said. Turning back to him, Kopa said, "You mean it, Father."

He nodded. "Absolutely. Sian is exactly the type of queen this kingdom needs: good, gifted, kind, brave, generous, puts others first before herself, as well as doing what she thinks is right for the good of the people and the Pride Lands, I have no doubt. But she is just not good for these Lands, my son, but she is also good for you, for I can see, as well as everyone else who has seen you two together, how devoted you are to each other. Besides, every king needs a queen who will stand by his side, to support his decisions and advise him when he is in need of council, and to be there for him through it all. Therefore, I have no difficulty in giving you my blessing."

Kopa and Sian turned to each other again, beaming; in fact, Sian was so happy that she threw her arms around Kopa's neck and, not caring who was watching, kissed him. Kopa was quite taken aback by this reaction from her, but he quickly got over it, as he responded with equal enthusiasm with one hand around her waist and the other knotted in her hair. They remained like that for several long minutes, ignoring the uncomfortable coughs from the spectators, only stopping when the need for oxygen became impossible to ignore. Unlocking her lips from his with a final loud smack, Sian turned to my father, and with her face burning and her breathing uneven, she gasped, "Th-thank you, S-Simba …"

My father chuckled at her reaction, then kissed her on the cheek and, once Sian and Kopa let go of each other, he hugged her. Sian hesitated for a moment, then shrugged, smiled and hugged him back. They remained like that for a few moments, then they let go of each other. My father gave Sian a final smile, then walked over to Chris and I, the smile never leaving his face as he looked at Chris, who smiled right back at him.

My father stopped once he was directly in front of Chris and I and, still smiling, said, "Well, Chris … these past couple of months have been rather interesting for you from what I have seen, have they not?"

"You could say that," said Chris.

My father chuckled and went on, "I can only imagine how much of a shock it must have been to find out that your father is alive and well after all these years spent thinking otherwise … yet through it all, you have stood by Kiara's side, and she by yours, through the good times and the bad, and I remember a couple of years back when you asked me for my blessing to be with my daughter, and my answer has not changed, for I would be proud to call you my son."

Chris was rather surprised by these words, not that I could blame him, but he quickly smiled and said, "Thank you, Simba."

My father gave him a humble nod and they shook hands. Then my father turned to me, and his expression turned more happy and proud as he stood right in front of me, and I could not help but smile back, as nothing was going to ruin the joy for me of seeing my father again, something I thought would never happen.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Kiara," my father breathed, his eyes sparkling with pride. I do not know which one of us moved first, but before I knew it we were in each other's arms, and I could not stop my tears falling even if I wanted to. My father understood, for he just held me, stroking my hair and whispering comforting words and soothing sounds in my ear.

Once I had cried all I could, I quickly dried my eyes as my father and I quickly let go of each other. One of his hands cupped my cheek, and his eyes never left mine, as he said, "My darling girl … you have done so well! You came back and carried on fighting when you didn't have to, knowing how much pain and devastation there was when you left, not only because it was the right thing to do, but also because you had a duty to protect everyone from further harm from Zira and her Love Destroyers ..."

"Well, of course I did," I said. "I know it was hard, but I had to come back and do the right thing in order to try and save as many people as possible from Zira! I couldn't bear it if anyone close to me got hurt, or - or worse and there was nothing that I could do to - "

"And that, my daughter," said my father loudly, cutting across me swiftly, "not only shows the true size of your heart, but it also shows the type of Princess you have always been, for a Princess always puts her people before herself and will do whatever it takes to protect them. And because of that, Kiara, your mother and I and the rest of our family," he added, quickly glancing at Grandfather Mufasa and Grandmother Sarabi, "are proud of you."

My eyes welled up with tears, for my family being proud of me, after all that I had done, was by far the greatest gift my father had ever given me. My father seemed to understand, for he just smiled affectionately and planted a delicate kiss on my forehead.

"But that is not the only reason why we are all proud of you, Kiara," my father went on after a few moments, the proud smile never leaving him.

I stared at him, confused.

"It's not?"

My father chuckled lightly, then took a few steps back, threw his arms out wide and said loudly, "Look around you, Kiara! Look at this place, restored to its former glory once more, and that's all because of you, Kiara! Only you made this possible by defeating Zira and bringing myself and Nala (as well as my mother) back here, back home. True, you needed a little bit of a nudge from me to bring us back, but you did the right thing, and now - well - look around you, Kiara! The Pride Lands are green and flourishing, and Pride Castle is back to looking bright and full of love and light and life again. And look at all these people standing here," he added, gesturing to the sea of red still standing around the ballroom. "They're all here because of you, Kiara, and all the good you have done them, especially Kopa, who was finally able to come out of hiding and come home. And I must say, it fills my heart with joy to see all my children home, at last, after all these years."

"As am I," said Mum, coming to stand next to my father, carrying Kion in her arms once more. My father took Kion from her, then spun him around and kissed him on the crown of his head, laughing, like the rest of us did, at Kion's laughter.

Once the laughter had died down my father, still holding Kion, spoke to the room at large.

"To everyone that I see standing before me today, welcome to you all! As far as I am concerned, and I am sure that Kiara will agree with me when I say this, that all of you are friends to our family, and to the Pride Lands, and therefore you are all more than welcome to come back here at any time.

"Now, I want to say thanks to all of you for standing by my daughter and our family, and continuing to fight when my wife, my mother and I were gone, and when you all believed Kiara to be dead. I also wish yo thank the Outsiders," my father added, turning to face Mr and Mrs Outsider, Kovu and Vitani, "for taking Kopa in and looking after him for as long as they did when they could have so easily left him to die. You have no idea how much it means to Nala and I that you did this.

"And now I have to address you once again, my son," my father went on, addressing Kopa, "as there is a great matter of importance that we must address at once. You understand what this is, I am sure?"

Kopa seemed to understand what our father meant, for he stiffened up immediately after he had spoken, and although his jaw had tightened, it did nothing to disguise the slight tremor in his voice as he answered, "I am, Father."

Our father heard it, too, for he looked right at Kopa, his eyes narrowed in concern.

"What troubles you, my son?"

Kopa was surprised by the question, and was slightly daunted at having to admit his fears to a room full of people, most of whom were strangers, but he could not avoid it: he had, without knowing it, dug himself a hole and was now stuck there until he answered the question. So he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and, opening his eyes and exhaling at the same time, he looked directly at our father and answered.

"I don't know, Father, it's just … I was a boy when I left here, a boy who was barely old enough to start learning how to be king. And now I'm back here, as a man, a man who should be ready to take your place, Father, but I'm not. I don't even know what to do! I don't even know the first thing about running a kingdom - "

"Nor do I," Sian cut across him loudly.

My father, Kopa and everyone else in the ballroom turned to Sian then, but she only had eyes for my brother, who was looking at her with doubt and uncertainty written all over his face, unlike Sian, who looked undaunted and determined at the prospect of taking on so much responsibility that she did not yet know anything about.

"Sian," said Kopa, after several long moments, "… how can you stand there and act so calm about something you know nothing about? Aren't you scared about all this?"

Sian shook her head, smiling. "No. Because I know I can do it as long as you are by my side."

Kopa looked at Sian, shocked, but he said nothing as she went on, the smile never leaving her face.

"I know you're scared, darling, about the fact that you don't know anything about ruling a kingdom, as well as the daunting prospect of taking on all that responsibility, but you shouldn't be. It's like you said, I don't know anything, either. But I'm not scared, because I have you, and we can learn together. I know it's going to be difficult with me going to school to complete my final year that I missed out on in a few days, but we'll make it work somehow, I promise, because I know that together we are strong enough to face whatever challenges come our way. We just have to believe in us, for I do."

Kopa said nothing, just looking at Sian, surprised at her words. Sian just smiled back at him, a determined gleam in her eye. After a few minutes had passed in silence, Kopa smiled at her, held her in his arms and said, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Sian responded, as Kopa bent his face down a little and captured her lips with his own. Their kiss was sweet and chaste, yet still passionate, and when their lips parted a few seconds later with a gentle smack, Kopa, still holding Sian, turned to our father and said, "Well, Father, it seems as though I have a lot of learning to catch up on."

Our father, who had been watching Kopa and Sian with pride, smiled at him and said, "Indeed you do, my son. And try not to let that girl in your arms, Kopa, for she is exactly the type of woman you need to make you, and this kingdom, strong."

He smiled at Sian, who smiled and blushed at his praise. Chuckling, he turned to Zazu and said, "We can leave the teaching until tomorrow, can't we, Zazu? After all, today is a day of celebration."

Zazu bowed his head courteously and said, "Of course, Sire. I have already arranged for the learning to start tomorrow. Besides, one more day of your children not knowing anything about the kingdom is not likely to change anything any time soon."

My father did not look at all pleased at Zazu's rather insulting words, but he quickly let them slide as his expression turned joyous again and he spread his arms out wide as he said, "As I said, today is a day of celebration, which is why we are having a ball, and therefore the music should continue. And for this dance I'm not going to dance with just anyone ..."

My father then looked at my mother, who nodded her approval. I, like many others, was confused by what was happening, until my father looked back at me, his eyes twinkling with warmth and pride, as he held out his hand to me and said, "I have waited a long time for this moment, my Princess ..."

As my father nodded his head to the dancefloor, I understood what he meant. I then looked at Chris, silently asking him if I could do this, and he nodded eagerly. I turned to face my father again then and took his hand. Holding my hand firmly but gently in his own, we stepped out on to the middle of the dancefloor, my father beaming with pride, and I trying to look as confident as I could, even though I did not feel very confident inside.

As my father and I prepared to dance for the very first time, I saw Chris approaching my mother, who handed Kion back to Grandmother Sarafina before allowing him to lead her on to the dancefloor.

The music started, and as my father started spinning us around the dancefloor, I found myself growing more and more comfortable dancing in his arms, so much so that I started to smile; I even laughed when he picked me up and spun me around, I was having so much fun!

The dancefloor slowly filled up as the dance went on, but I paid no attention to none of the other couples around me, choosing to focus solely on my father and the happiness I felt dancing with him. And it was there, in that moment, in the middle of a crowded ballroom, surrounded by quite a few strangers and many people I loved, that I actually felt, for the first time, what people had been saying to me all day.

I was, finally, home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **Sian and Chrissie**

 **SIAN**

It was a little after one in the morning, and all was quiet within Pride Castle and the grounds outside. No one was stirring, no one except Sian Dawson who could not sleep despite knowing that she should be after such a long and exciting day. So Sian decided to take a silent stroll through Pride Castle to try and cure her insomnia, and as she walked, Sian let her thoughts drift back to the ball, smiling to herself at how good a time she had had.

The ball itself had ended at midnight, but some people, like the Professors of Dragon Mort and most Ministry workers retired a couple of hours earlier in order to get a good night's sleep before they had to travel back to the UK or to their own countries, which was understandable, but Sian did not think about that. Instead, she was thinking about the other, more memorable, and happier, moments of the ball ...

 _Sian had danced with many people that night: Simba, Mufasa, even her own father, which was surprising to Sian for she knew that he was not the dancing type (nor was she for that matter), but the person she enjoyed dancing with most often, was her darling Kopa, for she was happier when she was in his arms, having fun, feeling safe and loved._

 _But it was not all that fun, for Sian's mother had shown up shortly after the buffet at seven o'clock, and as soon as everyone had seen her, the music, talk and laughter had died, the dancing stopped and the mood in the ballroom had turned hostile towards Susan Crighton._

 _As soon as Sian saw her mother, all she wanted to do was go straight up to her and hug her, but she couldn't, for Kopa had tightened his grip on her and her siblings had formed a circle around them. And that's when Sian realised something: she may have forgiven her mother for what she did to her, but that did not mean that anyone else did._

 _Then, to make matters worse, her father, who was usually a rather jovial man, looked angrier than Sian had ever seen him as he strode forward and, without saying a word to her mother, all but pushed her out of the ballroom. Sian and her brothers and sisters were all shocked at seeing their father behave in such a way, for never had they seen him so angry with anyone like that before, never mind their own mother! Not just that, but it was the first time any of the Dawson siblings (and anyone who knew Matthew Dawson and Susan Crighton, for that matter) had seen their mother scared of their father, for normally it was him that was afraid of her when she got angry._

 _The ballroom doors closed, but that did not stop everyone still in there from not hearing the hurtful words he threw at her, saying that he was disgusted with her for what she did to Sian, how he could have gladly throttled her for what she had done, and that after all the rather questionable things she had done to many people that he had looked over, what she had done to Sian was by far the worst thing she had ever done. Crighton tried to apologise several times, or at least tried to get a word in, but every time this happened Matthew would cut across her, not letting her say anything to justify her actions, so great was his anger at her that he did not care to hear what she had to say for herself._

 _Sian was shocked and hurt at hearing the abuse her father was flinging at her mother, but what hurt her more was seeing no sympathy on the faces of those around her, for they seemed quite pleased that Crighton was being spoken to in such a way, even her own family. The only ones who did look sympathetic for Crighton, Sian saw, were Chris, Kiara and Chrissie, especially Kiara, who caught her eyes sadly as her father told her mother that she did not deserve to be called mother after all that she had done._

 _Hearing this, Sian could take no more, and all the hurt and anger Sian felt building inside her released itself in a dreadful scream of "ENOUGH!", which was so loud that every head in the ballroom turned to face Sian, all looking at her with mingled pity and alarm, but Sian ignored them all, keeping her gaze focused on the ballroom doors, which burst open a couple of seconds later._

 _Her father and mother hurried back into the ballroom, the former looking worried at hearing Sian scream so, the latter looking deeply upset, with tears still streaming down her face, and it was her mother that Sian focused on as she broke free of Kopa's protective hold around her, burst through the baricade of bodies that were her siblings and ran, quickly, to her mother, throwing her arms around her._

 _Her mother chose not to return the hug at first, saying that she deserved the harsh words Mr Dawson had given her, but Sian quickly hushed her mother, saying that she had been punished enough, and that was all it took for her mother to hug her back._

 _After a few long moments, mother and daughter let go of each other, and Sian turned her attention back on the people all around them, most of whom were watching Sian and her mother with shock and disbelief written all over their faces, and in that moment, Sian knew just what she had to say to end it …_

Back in her present mind, Sian stopped where she was walking, her expression darkening, as she remembered what she had said to everyone around her, particularly her father, concerning her mother …

 _"I know that all of you here are angry with my mother for what she put me through a few months ago, but you all don't have to be any more. After all, I forgave my mother for what happened, so why can't all of you?"_

 _"But, Siany - "_

 _"No, Dad!" Sian cut across her father loudly. "I'm sorry, but all of you need to understand that I love my mother deeply, and if none of you can forgive her … then, I am sorry, but I will have nothing more to do with any of you, which I do not want to do as I care about each and every one of you in this room a great deal. So please, please can all of you try to forgive my mother, for me at least? After all, we have all witnessed in recent years just how powerful hatred is and what it can do to people …"_

Coming back to the present once again as she continued to walk along the corridor, Sian knew, as she had in that moment, that her words had gotten through to people, as everyone's gazes relaxed as they thought about what she had said. And shortly after that, Sian remembered with a smile, the crowd in the ballroom had formed a line to hug her mother or else to shake her mother's hand.

Sian then remembered wishing, a truly childish wish at that, that everyone would just forgive her mother at the same time, but that was wishful thinking, she reasoned with herself as she shook her head, even though it would make her happy, but she would not force the world into forgiving her mother for her crimes. After all, she was not that kind of person. But she was glad to see that some people, such as her siblings and Professor Darbus, were very quick to forgive her mother, whereas others, like Kopa and her father, were rather hesitant about showing their forgiveness, but at least they were being civil towards her, small comfort though this was. Forgiveness would come, Sian knew, with time, that heals all wounds and helps to re-establish the bonds of broken trust.

As she turned a corner, Sian was pulled out of her brooding by the sight of a person standing at the far end of the corridor, looking out of a window at the still, moonlit sky. She was too far away for Sian to see her face properly, but even from where she stood Sian could see that she was not the only Dawson sibling awake. Wanting to know who it was and why they were still up, Sian walked quicjly to her and, when she was close enough to her sister to speak without accidentally waking the rest of the castle up, Sian spoke.

"Chrissie? What are you doing up?"

Startled, Chrissie looked around, and Sian had to bite the inside of her mouth to stop herself from laughing loudly at Chrissie's reaction to her voice. But she knew that Chrissie would forgive her from scaring her quietly; after all, she had scared her sister many times before in a far louder voice and in a fouler mood than she was in at the present time.

Placing a hand delicately over her heart, Chrissie looked at Sian and whispered in a rather annoyed tone, "Sian, you scared me! You know I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!"

Sian smirked. "Well, you know how scary I am, sister, so it shouldn't come as a shock to you when I sneak up on you like I did just now."

Chrissie narrowed her eyes and rolled them in annoyance, making Sian chuckle silently. Then her expression turned serious again as she remembered why she disturbed Chrissie in the first place.

"You still haven't answered my question, Chrissie."

"What question?"

At that, Sian had to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes at her sister's dumb response. So instead she silently muttered to herself, took a deep breath and replied, "Why are you out here at this hour when you're meant to be fast asleep in bed?"

Chrissie laughed nervously. "Oh … right. Well, I tried, but I couldn't sleep. My mind, it seems, is too awake to shut off yet, so I decided to take a walk through the castle to try and calm it down a bit."

Sian nodded at this answer, then looked at Chrissie, confused. "Isn't your brain shut off most of the time, anyway? For it would explain a lot about you."

Sian then grinned, both at her own joke, and also at the annoyed look on Chrissie's face.

"Ha-ha, very funny," said Chrissie, in a deadpan voice, rolling her eyes. Then, turning to Sian, she asked her, "And what are _you_ doing out of bed at this hour, S.D.?"

"I couldn't sleep, either. The excitement of the ball is what's keeping my mind awake right now," Sian explained. "But you haven't told me why _you_ can't sleep, Chrissie," she added, looking at her curiously.

Chrissie's expression turned sad, as she looked back out the window. "I'm awake because I can't stop thinking about tomorrow morning …"

Sian was quite surprised by her sister's answer, but she nodded her head solemnly as she heaved a deep sigh, for she understood Chrissie's worries for tomorrow morning she, Kopa, Chris and Kiara would all be saying goodbye to Mr Dawson, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave, who would all be going back to England. But as sad as Sian knew it would be to part from her family again, she also knew that it was right, for the war was over, which meant that they were all finally free to lead the lives they always wanted. Besides, there was some good news to this separation ...

"Hey, look on the bright side," Sian said gently, "at least this time none of us will have to worry about never seeing each other again or worrying about when we will see each other again."

This seemed to cheer Chrissie up a little, which made Sian smile, and in that moment Sian suddenly realised how happy it made her to make Chrissie happy. But then, Sian reasoned with herself, she could be thinking such things because she was not going to see Chrissie for a while, but who knew …

"You're right," said Chrissie, her voice drawing Sian's attention back on her. "The goodbye we share tomorrow won't mean that we'll say goodbye forever, for we will see you again."

Then Chrissie's smile faded as she thought pensively for a few moments. Sian didn't speak, allowing her sister to think, knowing that whatever it was Chrissie had to say it was going to be worth being patient to hear. and she did not have to wait long to hear what Chrissie had on her mind.

"Sian, when do you think you'll be seeing us again? And we you?"

Now it was Sian's turn for her smile to fade as she thought seriously about the question, because Chrissie was right, she - mostly - had no idea of when she would see her family again, nor when they would see her again. The only thing Sian could do was answer the question as honestly as she could.

"I don't know when we'll see each other again. Well, I know I'll be seeing our younger siblings when I go back with them to Dragon Mort in a few days' time, but after that … who knows? After all, I'm going to be very busy with helping Kopa and the kingdom here, but I'm sure I'll get some time off to come and see you and Dad and the rest of our family back at the Manor. And I'm sure that Kopa won't object to you guys coming here to see me any time you wish. But for the most part, I guess we'll just have to … play it by ear."

Chrissie nodded, smiling sadly. Then, her expression suddenly brightened, startling Sian, who did not understand why her sister looked as happy as she did, until she said a few seconds later, "Maybe me and Dad could meet up with you on Dragsmeade weekends this year? What do you think?"

Sian smiled and nodded at her sister's thoughtfulness. "I'd like that," she said.

Chrissie smiled back at her, and then the two sisters looked back out at the still moonlit grounds, standing together in an oddly comfortable silence, so rare for those sisters to have let alone share, for quite some time, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Sian was thinking about how thoughtful Chrissie was by suggesting that she and their father come and visit her at Dragsmeade, which quite surprised Sian, as she never thought Chrissie would ever think of something that nice for her, which might have a lot to do with the fact that they spent a majority of their time fighting with each other.

Just then, Chrissie started laughing, startling Sian again, who could not see what was so funny, and not just because she did not understand Chrissie's mind. Seeing her sister's bewildered expression, Chrissie looked sheepish as she explained, "It's just funny that you and I are standing here, sharing a quiet moment, when all we ever do is fight."

Seeing what her sister found funny made Sian laugh, because it was true, they never did have a quiet moment together. Nodding in agreement, Sian looked at Chrissie again and said, "Yeah, it's not that often we get a moment like this."

"That's because we're different people, Sian," said Chrissie. "Everyone knows that."

Sian nodded thoughtfully. Then she suddenly grimaced, remembering what she and Chrissie were like as children, making her say, "Well, at least we're not as bad now as we were when we were kids …"

Chrissie looked confused for a moment, then, catching on to what Sian was talking about, Chrissie chuckled nervously and said, "Yeah, and people say we fight a lot now. Who knows what they'd make of us if they saw how we acted back then …"

Sian nodded slowly. "We sure were terrors back then, weren't we?"

"Talk about being a pair of hell's angels," Chrissie joked, and she and Sian both laughed nervously.

There was a short pause. Then Chrissie said, "Did we ever get along? As babies, I mean?"

Sian laughed and said, "No. According to Ma, you and I hated each other from the moment we were first placed together in a cot."

"Really?" said Chrissie, surprised by this new information.

Sian laughed at her sister's expression, nodding. "Mhm. As soon as we lay together we couldn't lie still, kicking each other and screaming at any given opportunity. But I don't see why you are surprised at hearing this, considering how we used to act around each other," Sian added, amused by her sister's disbelief.

"I know. I know I shouldn't be, but somehow I am. I don't know why." There was another brief pause, then Chrissie said, "It's a good thing our parents decided to give us separate cots as soon as they could, isn't it?"

"Mm," Sian murmured. "Knowing us, we'd have probably killed each other."

"Yeahm" Chrissie sighed, "but being put in separate cots didn't stop us from hating each other."

Sian shook her head solemnly. "Alas, it did not."

Chrissie nodded sadly, then heaved a heavy sigh and said, "If anything, our animosity towards each other only grew stronger, didn't it?"

"It did," Sian sighed. "And then the arguments started …"

"Yeah … What _did_ we argue about, anyway?"

"Probably some stupid, meaningless nonsense."

"Really? Even you?"

"I was a child just like you, Chrissie, you know. I didn't exactly start talking articulately the moment I exited the womb, you know?" Sian spat, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Looking back at Chrissie, her annoyance grew as she saw a silly grin spread across her sister's stupid face, amusement clear in her clueless eyes as she said, "Can you imagine how freaked out people would be if they heard and saw a baby talk as soon as it was born?"

At that moment, all Sian wanted to do was find the biggest book she could and whack it as hard as she could over Chrissie's head, but she didn't want to wake the whole castle up. So, restraining herself, Sian glared at Chrissie and instead hissed furiously, _"Would you please remain focused here?"_

Instantly, Chrissie's smile faded as she bowed her head, abashed.

"Sorry," she muttered to her hands.

Inwardly Sian was pleased that Chrissie was being serious again, but she was too angry with her sister right now to be nice to her, which led her to say, "This! This right here, Chrissie, is precisely why we fight, because you have to be stupid and silly when I want you to be serious!"

Sian then whipped her face to the window, silently fuming, and for the first time that night the two sisters stood in a rather uncomfortable silence. After a while, though, Sian heard Chrissie speak rather timidly.

"Well … we sure said a lot of meaningless nonsense to anger our father that week when we were four years old, remember?"

Slowly, the anger faded from Sian's face as she turned, just as slowly, to face Chrissie again, and seeing the hurt on Chrissie's face made Sian's anger evaporate altogether: how could she be angry with Chrissie now? And then, remembering her sister's question, she laughed, remembering her father's reaction.

"Yeah, we did. But it wasn't just our father we upset that week by our continuous screaming and shouting that week."

"No, he wasn't." Chrissie paused for a moment, then added, "Boy, we didn't allow anyone to sleep that week, did we?"

Sian shook her head. "No, but our father suffered more than anyone else there, due to the fact that it was around that time that he was suffering from insomnia for a few weeks."

"Yeah, we really didn't help with that." Then Chrissie added, "No wonder Dad locked us in a room and told us we weren't coming out until we had sorted out our differences."

Sian nodded, smiling wistfully. "Yeah, I'm glad he did that, for we became closer because of it … although I do regret all the cuts, scrapes and bruises we gave to each other."

"So do I," said Chrissie, "especially after what happened to the dresser," she added, laughing nervously.

Sian, however, did not find this memory amusing. "We broke the leg of a dresser, Chrissie! It's nothing to be proud of!"

"I'm not proud of it!" said Chrissie defensively, though her expression said otherwise.

"Really? Well, would you mind telling your face that, because it is saying something very different to what you just said!" Sian snapped, shaking her head at Chrissie's idiotic thinking.

That managed to wipe the smile off Chrissie's face, pleasing Sian, who kept her joy hidden, once again, as she was still annoyed with her. But then, Sian turned to Chrissie and, catching her eyes, Sian's annoyance faded too as the two sisters smiled at each other, which slowly turned to laughter. Neither knew why they were laughing or what about, but what they did know was that it felt good to laugh.

Sian and Chrissie did not know how long they were laughing for, but it was only when they heard a familiar, deep voice speak close by that they stopped.

"Is this really my two eldest daughters laughing together?"

Hearing their father, Sian and Chrissie turned to face him, hiccoughing and wiping their eyes, as they saw their father, who was leaning against a wall, wearing an expression of pleasant disbelief, as he waited for his daughters to speak.

Once she had calmed herself down enough to be understood, Sian said, still smiling, "I know, Dad. We can't believe it, either."

Her father then stepped closer to she and Chrissie and, looking curious, asked, "But what are you two both doing out of bed at this late hour?"

"We couldn't sleep," answered Chrissie, "and we decided to take a walk around the castle - individually, not together - to try and clear our heads, and I stopped here, why I don't know, and this is where Sian found me."

Mr Dawson turned to Sian, who nodded her head in confirmation. Mr Dawson appeared to have no doubts after that, for he smiled and nodded carefully. Now it was Sian's turn to look at her father curiously, as she asked him, "And why are _you_ out of bed at this time of night, Father?"

Chrissie's eyebrows rose shockingly as she looked at her father, but Sian took no notice of her sister, focusing solely on the man in front of her, who was looking at Sian defensively, as though he was saying with his body _I do not have to explain myself to you_. But then, a few moments later, his expression and posture relaxed as he thought about what Sian said, nodding to himself as he pondered, and then, finally, he answered.

"Well, Siany, the reason I am awake at this hour is because I, like you and Chrissie, couldn't sleep, and so I decided to go down to the kitchens for something to drink, and as I was heading down there, the sound of two people laughing caught my attention. Curiosity took hold of me as, wanting to know who it was, I turned the corner and, to my complete surprise, there you two were, laughing as quietly as you could.

"I couldn't believe that I was seeing my eldest daughters, who spend most of the time fighting, laughing like that. I actually thought I was dreaming. But the longer I stood there, watching you both, the more I realised that I wasn't dreaming, and that I really was watching you two laugh like that ..."

Sian then whipped her head to face Chrissie, who was already facing her. They looked at each other for a moment, then whipped their heads back to face their father, confusion written on both of their faces, as Chrissie asked him, "But Dad … Sian and I have laughed together before, so why is that such a surprise to you?"

Sian nodded at her sister's question, not understanding her father's surprise, either.

Mr Dawson shook his head, smiling gently at his daughter's as he replied, "I know you two have laughed together before, which, even though it's a rare sight to see, does happen, which doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me, however, is seeing the two if you laughing that hard together, for that never happens."

Hearing this, Sian's confusion vanished to be replaced by dawning comprehension as her father's words slowly sank in; and looking at Chrissie, Sian could see it echoed on her face too, for it was true: she and Chrissie had never laughed like that before. Realising this, Sian and Chrissie shared a smile, then looked back at their father, who was watching his girls with a proud smile etched on his face.

"You know," said Mr Dawson, as he took a couple of steps closer to his daughters, "your mother and I never thought we'd see the days when the two of you would stop arguing for a moment and actually have a few minutes where you would talk without any raised voices and would laugh like you did a few minutes ago; and I bet, wherever she is right now, that she's watching you, and that she's just as proud of you as I am."

Sian and Chrissie smiled at each other again. Then, looking back at her father, Chrissie said, "You know that Sian and I are never going to stop arguing, don't you, Dad?"

Mr Dawson chuckled as Sian rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do understand that," said Mr Dawson. "I learned a long time ago that it's pointless to keep the two of you from arguing. But could you try, at least once in a while, to have more moments like the one you had before? It would be nice for all of us to not have to listen to the two of you arguing all the time, after all."

Sian and Chrissie looked at each other once more, their expressions blank for a moment, and then they smiled and nodded. Looking back at their father, Sian said, "I think we can manage that."

Mr Dawson smiled at his daughters and hugged them both. Sian wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his chest, keeping her eyes open, as Chrissie closed her eyes and smiled, nestling her head against her father's chest. Watching her sister, Sian thought, with a pang of sadness, about the last time she had been hugged this lovingly by a living person, and being held the same by her father, Sian wondered if she could allow herself to feel comfortably loved in her father's arms as she was in her mother's? And hearing her father sigh contentedly, as well as feeling his fingers stroke her hair, Sian had her answer. So, like Chrissie, she closed her eyes and smiled contentedly, feeling her father's love wash over her.

Sian, Chrissie and their father remained that way for quite some time. It was only when Chrissie yawned loudly did Mr Dawson suggest they all go get some rest, which Sian and Chrissie did not argue with as they were both pretty tired by this point. So once they had bid their father goodnight and he had kissed them both on their foreheads, Sian and Chrissie then left their father's warm and loving embrace to go back to their rooms. Neither said anything as they walked, both being too tired to talk, but as she walked Sian could not help but think that, though she and Chrissie had not said much to each other, she somehow felt closer to her sister; closer to her tonight than she had in her entire life so far.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: OK, so we're coming to the end of this story, but we're not quite there yet. Now, I just wanted to say that while reading this chapter, when you get to where Sian and Chrissie are saying goodbye, try listening to the _Farewell_ track from the _Pocahontas_ soundtrack, you'll know where I'm trying to go with this. So enjoy this chapter and I'll have the next one up in a couple of days. Happy reading, everybody.**

 **Chapter 13**

 **The Dawsons Departing**

 **KIARA**

Trunks were packed, tents were taken down and a number of Portkeys had been created in order to take people home.

It was the morning following the celebratory ball. Kopa, Sian, Chris and I had already said our farewells and goodbyes to many people, and I knew as I said my goodbyes and farewells, who I would see again, who I would correspond with through letters and who I would never be seeing again: people like Professors Darbus, Winds, Spud, Beadu, Mina, Perdy, Sam and Ferdinand, Kat, Leah and Kara I knew, without a doubt, I would definitely be seeing again; and people like Zara and Dena, for instance, I knew, without knowing how I knew it, that I would be keeping in touch with through letters. As for a select few, however, such as Peter Meter, I knew I would never see again. True, I did see them at a distance, but it's not the same.

Two people I knew I would definitely not lose touch with were Nikita and Lincoln, who had both become very dear to me over my school career: Nikita had become like a sister to me, which surprised me, considering how different we were when we first started at Dragon Mort, but I knew in my heart that it was true; and as for Lincoln, well, he was like the little brother I never had but always wanted, and I shared a rather tearful goodbye with both of them. Then Nikita left with her grandfather for a Portkey, and before Lincoln left with his mother, he turned to Kestrel and planted a delicate kiss on her rosy cheek, surprising us all, especially Sian, who did not see, or did not want to see, the obvious chemistry between them. But seeing the joy on her sister's face, Sian knew, as did I, that just as with Sam and Ferdinand that she would have to accept and respect them being together, no matter how different she and Lincoln were.

But I knew that the people I would never lose touch with, no matter what happened, were Mr Dawson, Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave, for they had all accepted me as part of their family from the very first day I had arrived at Dawson Manor. Besides, we had all gone through so much together, not to mention the fact that they all meant so much to me, for me to just part from them and never see any of them again. No, it was far too cruel and unjust of me to do that after everything we had been through.

It was shortly after breakfast that Kopa, Sian, Chris and I found ourselves outside Pride Castle, saying goodbye to the rest of the Dawson family. Joey had already taken a Portkey back to Dawson Manor with his wife and child and had just come back with the car. Kopa, Chris and I had already said our goodbyes to them, as had Grandmother Sarafina (who was currently tending to Kion inside), Aunt Mavuto, Uncle Frank and Carol, who were chooding to stay inside to avoid the heat from the African sun.

Anyway, like I said before, Kopa, Chris and I had already said our goodbyes to the rest of the Dawson family, and now we stood back on the steps of Pride Castle, watching Sian say goodbye to each person individually, and the first person she approached was Joey, who was stood by his car, Mr Dawson close to them, and Chrissie, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave were all huddled together next to their father, trying hard not to show how uncomfortable they were from the baking hot sun, despite the fact that they were all sweating profusely. Then again, who wasn't?

"So …" said Joey, unsure of what to say.

"So …" Sian repeated, not sure what to say, either.

There was a short pause. Then Joey said, "You sure you don't wanna come back with us?"

Sian shook her head, smiling sadly. "I'm sure. My place is here now, the place that I now call home, as well as it being the place where the next exciting chapter of my life begins."

Joey nodded sadly. "I understand that, Miss D, and I respect ya all the more for it." Joey then dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, thinking for a few seconds. Then, once he had let his lip go, he looked at Sian and said hesitantly, "I wonder, Miss D. … would you be offended if I gave you a kiss goodbye? On the cheek, I mean?"

Sian's look of confusion quickly turned to relief as she shook her head and smiled. "Of course not, Joey," she said. "I consider you as an uncle to me, anyway, more than a servant."

Joey's anxiety quickly turned to relief at Sian's words, and no sooner had she stopped speaking than he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Sian's cheeks were burned re from the affection Joey gave her, but she seemed pleased, nonetheless. She then kissed his cheek in return and stood back slightly.

"Don't be a stranger now, Joey?"

"Never. And I hope that you won't be a stranger, either, Miss D.?"

"Never," Sian repeated firmly.

Joey then grinned, gave a curt nod and got in the car. Once he had shut the door on the driver's side, Sian turned to her father, who was now standing in front of her.

"So, Siany … here we are. I must say I'm going to miss not having you under my roof any more."

"Tell me about it," said Sian. Then she narrowed her eyes and, looking at her father curiously, she added, "Tell me, Dad, what will you miss more: me or my cooking?"

Mr Dawson's eyes widened at that question, and the rest of us watched him intently as he racked his brain for an answer. Sian was watching her father intently, and I knew, as did everyone else, that she was not going to let her father leave without answering her, and as the minutes ticked by I was beginning to wonder if he indeed did have an answer for her. But I need not have worried, for eventually, Mr Dawson did answer her.

"Well, of course I'll miss your cooking, love, but," he added hastily, as Sian whipped her head to face him, clearly affronted, "I'll miss you so much more than that, for the warmth of your cooking could never, ever replace the warmth of you."

As her father said these words, Sian's affronted look slowly changed into a look of pure love for him; there was even a small tear in her eye. Once he had finished speaking, Sian wrapped her arms around him, her face buried in his chest and, her voice slightly muffled, said, "I love you, Dad."

"Love you to bits, sweetheart," said Mr Dawson tenderly, kissing her delicately on her forehead and hugging her just as tightly. "Love you to bits."

Father and daughter remained like that for quite some time, the embrace only ending when Sian lifted her head from his chest and smiled at him. Mr Dawson smiled back at her, which quickly vanished as his eyes widened and he gasped loudly, as though he were remembering something important.

"Are you all right, Dad?" Sian asked her father, looking at him concernedly, her worry for him only increasing as he grinned widely for no apparent reason - not that I could blame her.

"I'm fine, love," Mr Dawson quickly reassured her. "I've just remembered that I've got something for you. Now where - ? Aha! Here it is …"

And Mr Dawson pulled out of an inside pocket of his jacket a thick, purple leather-bound book that he gave to Sian, who took it from him tentatively, still looking confused, which only worsened as Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave all nodded eagerly at her, silently begging her to open it. Looking at her siblings like they had all suddenly gone nuts, Sian then opened the book and looked at it.

As soon as her eyes landed on the pages within, they lost their confusion instantly and widened in surprise as she gasped loudly. Her expression became more gentle as she slowly turned the pages, tears of joy filling her eyes as she examined the book, and the longer Sian looked at it, the more my curiosity grew, but I did not disturb her, for I felt it was not my place to ask, seeing as the book was a personal item for Sian. Fortunately, Kestrel was there to provide an explanation.

"It was Dad's idea to make a scrapbook for you. We had all been at Great-Aunt Lizzie's a short time, had been there not long after we had all seen your near-death experience, and we were all missing you like crazy. So Dad asked us what you've done for us all, and we told him all the ways you've helped us with over the years, and so he came up with the idea that we should all write you a letter, thanking you for keeping us alive and apologising for taking you for granted all these years, accompanied with pictures we've drawn and photos of us together, and put them all in a scrapbook for you, so that no matter where the rest of us end up, we'll always be with you."

As Kestrel spoke, I was taken aback by the strength of the love she and her fellow siblings had for Sian, something I more often than not forgot about, as well as wishing that I had got in on this. But I have to say that I was rather surprised that Sian, who usually had a lot to say, did not say a word once Kestrel had finished speaking, which was making Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben, Dave and their father becoming more and more angsty the longer she remained silent.

Finally, Merida said, almost desperately, "Well … don't you like it?"

Hearing Merida's voice made Sian raise her head at last, and seeing all the looks on her siblings and father's faces made Sian open her mouth, but no words came out. She tried again, twice more, clearing her throat each time, and still not a sound came out of her. And I realised, as she looked at her siblings and father in amazement, as her eyes welled up with tears of joy, that she was, for possibly the first time in her life, speechless.

I was just as surprised as everyone else to see Sian at a complete loss for words, but not more so than Chrissie, who, I was surprised to see, was trying her best to stifle her giggles. Catching my eye and seeing the questioning look I was giving her, Chrissie tried her best to sober herself up as she answered, "Oh, Kiara … you have no idea how long I've prayed for the day when Sian would be rendered speechless! To be honest, none of us ever thought that we would live to see the day. Oh, I wish I had a camera ..."

Smiling and rolling my eyes at Chrissie's selfish happiness, I turned my attention back on to Sian, who was looking at Mr Dawson, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave with tear-filled eyes full of love and joy, as she said in a voice choked with emotion, "Thank you all … so much …"

And that was all it took for her father and younger siblings to surround Sian and hug her. I could see Sian in the middle, her arms around her father and Merida, her face a picture of pure contentedness: her eyes were closed tight shut as tears of pure joy trickled down her cheeks, and a small, happy smile graced her lips from the love she was getting from her family.

After several long minutes had passed like this, they all eventually let go of each other, mopping their eyes as they stood in their original positions. Mr Dawson then kissed Sian forehead and touched her cheek tenderly, then went and stood next to the car, watching Sian say her farewells to her younger siblings.

I noticed that sometimes Sian did not say much to some of them, and with others she said far more than just a few choice words. Like with Ben and Dave, who were the first to step forth and say farewell, with the sun shining brightly on their caramel yellow skin, Sian hugged them both individually, kissed them both on the cheek, then called them her brothers as she bid them farewell. Ben and Dave both said, "Bye, sister," to Sian, then went and stood next to Mr Dawson as Max approached Sian, who had several more words to say to him than she had said to Ben and Dave.

"You know, there was once a time when I thought that I would never miss you, but now I think I'm going to miss you like crazy, Max."

Max nodded. "I know what you mean. I've really missed you these past few months." There was a brief pause, then he said, "You know, it's funny, really. Even though we lived together as kids, I never really knew you. I still don't."

Sian nodded solemnly. "It is sad, really, that we never got the chance to properly bond …" Then, Sian's expression brightened slightly as she added, "But it's never too late to change. What do you say?"

"I'd like that," said Max, smiling, and Sian smiled back at him.

There was another short pause. Then Sian said, "So, have you managed to stay in contact with Andrea at all over these past few months, Max?"

"Not until after Zira died I didn't," said Max. "You see, before term began, I wrote to her and told her that, until Zira was defeated, that it was too dangerous for us to stay in touch with each other, for fear that either of us would let something slip that would interest the enemy in case our letters were ever intercepted. She wasn't happy about it, as you can imagine, but she agreed."

Sian's eyebrows rose in astonishment. "That's very mature thinking from both of you, seeing as you're only sixteen …"

Max shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's how serious we are. Anyway, I wrote to her a couple of days after Zira's death, and it was like we hadn't stopped writing to each other. So we've carried on corresponding with each other and now we're stronger than ever."

Sian smiled at the sweet smile on her brother's face. "I'd really like to meet this girl someday soon."

"I'd like you - _all_ of you - to meet her, too," said Max, "but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Who knows what could happen, after all …"

"I know what you mean, brother," said Sian, "and I understand why, but still, don't make us wait too long to see her, will you?"

"I'll try not to, but I can't promise anything," said Max.

He and Sian then shared a laugh. Then, his smile fading a little, he said, "I'm going to miss you, S.D."

"I'm going to miss you, too. Come here."

Sian and Max hugged each other. Then, with a mischievous gleam in her eye and an equally mischievous smile drawn across her lips, Sian suddenly threw an arm around Max's neck, holding him in a firm headlock, as she rubbed his head roughly with her knuckles. I laughed, as did the rest of us watching, which only grew as Max struggled to get out of it, but Sian's hold on him was just too strong. Eventually, though, Sian did let go of Max, who staggered backwards slightly, as she wiped her knuckles on her clothes, trying to get rid of the sticky gel that he put in his hair. Seeing this, Max smirked evilly at her, and Sian stuck her tongue out at him in retaliation. Then Sian and Max shared a smile and a laugh, and Max went to stand by Mr Dawson, Ben and Dave.

Sian then said goodbye to the Tweebs (Joe and Jack), who she shared a brief hug and a smile with. Then, as they were making their way over to their father, it was Merida's turn to say goodbye to Sian, who immediately ran to her sister, tackling her in a fierce hug, catching Sian off guard.

"Whoa! steady on, Merry!" Sian laughed, holding her youngest sister tightly.

Once Sian had regained her balance, Merida drew back from her sister a little and said, "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm really going to miss not seeing you all the time at home."

"Hey, you'll be seeing me at Dragon Mort in a few days," Sian reassured her.

Merida sighed heavily. "I know. But it won't be the same …"

Sian smiled sadly. "I know what you mean …"

The two sisters were both silent for a few moments. Then, in an attempt to change the subject, Merida said, "Well Sian, I think you'll be pleased to know that I've decided to change my career path."

Sian's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? But you seemed so intent on chasing dragons for years."

Merida chuckled grimly. "I know. To be honest, I was never really that serious about it. It's true, I did want to do something with dragons as a kid, because of Kat, y'know - but the only reason I said I wanted to chase dragons for a living was to shock you."

Sian's eyebrows rose even higher at this rather surprising comment. "Well you certainly did shock me, and I must admit that I wouldn't have minded so much if you did go and study dragons somewhere … but," she added, looking curiously at her youngest sister, "what was it that changed your mind about dragons?"

"The war," said Merida sadly. "Seeing the harsh reality of it made me take my future seriously."

"Thank God it did," said Sian, hugging Merida, clearly relieved by her sister's decision, as were we all, but none more so than Mr Dawson, Sian and Dave.

Letting go of Merida, Sian then cupped her face with her hands and said, "So, now that your career choices have changed, what do you plan on doing once you've finished school?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it for quite a while now, and I'm thinking of writing for the _Squabbler_ or the _Prophet_ , to see if someone can actually write some decent, _honest_ news for once, instead of a bunch of lies and rumours."

Sian nodded her head, clearly pleased by Merida's choice. "Well, I hope that you'll do some good work and do our family proud - if and when you do get a job working there, of course. Oh, and before you leave Dragon Mort in a couple of years' time, try and talk to Professor Beadu, see if she can put in a good word for you somewhere."

Merida nodded eagerly. "I'll be sure to do that." There was another brief pause, then she said, "I'll do my best to keep the Manor in good shape for you, S.D., even though you won't be living there any more …"

Sian smiled fondly at Merida. "I have no doubt that you will," she said. "Now, do you remember what I told you about Dad?"

"To not tell him any bad news when he's hungry?" Merida asked innocently.

Sian went rigid at these words, and her cheeks began to burn bright red, as myself, Chris, Kopa and the rest of the Dawson siblings all had to cover our mouths in order to stifle our laughter, as Mr Dawson was glaring at Sian, completely thunderstruck.

Not even daring to look at her father, Sian, in a desperate attempt to get back in his good books, said quickly, "No, no, it's that you should take care of and love him always." Sian then looked at her father, who looked slightly happier upon hearing this, which made Sian lean in close to Merida and whisper rather loudly, "And the other thing."

Merida nodded happily and hugged Sian before going to stand next to her father, who was, once again, thunderstruck. Just like before, Sian pointedly ignored her father, focusing instead on Beth, who was sad to leave her sister, but understood that the time had come to do so. She and Sian then shared a hug and, crying loudly, she went to stand next to Merida.

Then it was Kestrel's turn. These two sisters did not say much to each other, for they understood each other quite well. All Sian asked her to do was to take care of the family, especially Chrissie, as best she could. Naturally, this statement offended Chrissie, but Sian ignored her, as did Kestrel, who said that she would do all she could to look after the others for her, which pleased Sian greatly. Sian and Kestrel then hugged and Kestrel went to stand by the car.

Then, at last, it was Chrissie's turn to say goodbye to Sian, who approached her slowly, and stopped just a few feet in front of her. There was a short pause, then Chrissie spoke.

"So …"

"So …" Sian repeated heavily.

"This is it, huh?"

Sian nodded. "Yeah. This is it."

There was another short pause. Then Sian spoke again.

"You know, it's funny, really. All those times I said to you how I couldn't wait to leave the Manor so that I could finally be rid of you annoying the hell out of me all the time, I had no idea just how much I was going to miss you. And now that I am leaving you, I really don't want to let you go."

Chrissie smiled sadly at her. "I know. I really want to say, "Come back with us," but that would be wrong of me, not to mention incredibly selfish. After all, your place is here, and mine is back home, in England."

Sian rolled her eyes at Chrissie's blatant obviousness. Seeing this, Chrissie hastily said, "I know, I know, I'm stating the obvious, which you hate, but at least I'm being honest about it …"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Sian exclaimed, losing her exasperation in favour of anger at her sister's words.

Chrissie looked nervous at Sian's fierce expression, but she knew, as did the rest of us, that she had dug herself into a hole, and that only she could get herself out of it. So, taking a deep breath, Chrissie said, "Well, it's just that I find it hard to believe that you're going to miss me, let alone that you could be proud of me …"

At those words, Sian's anger was quickly replaced with confusion as she asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Chrissie then looked at Sian, scared but determined as she answered defensively, "Well … you never really seem to support me and you always tend to make fun of me because I'm the screw up of the family - "

"Oh, good, so you've finally caught on to the fact that you're a fumble-footed dunderhead, then?" said Sian smarmily.

Chrissie glared at her sister. "See, this is exactly what I'm talking about! I'm sorry that I'm not as smart or as wise as you are, Sian, and that I can't control my tongue as well as you'd like me to, but this is who I am! And do you know how much it hurts me whenever you treat and speak to me like I'm a worthless piece of crap who can't do anything right? So, taking all that into account, can you now see why I doubt that you'll miss me and be proud of me?"

Chrissie stared directly into Sian's eyes, who looked rather taken aback by her sister's passionate speech; and the longer she remained silent, the more upset Chrissie seemed to get, as tears started to fill her eyes. Seeing this made Sian sigh heavily and close her eyes, before she opened her mouth to speak.

"Chrissie … listen," Sian began hesitantly. "I know I've been very hard on you over the years, harder than I should have been at times, in fact, but just know that I never meant to intentionally upset you, and for that I apologise. It's just that you make me so frustrated sometimes with how long it takes you to process new information that I end up screaming at you the way I do, which leads me to saying some truly hurtful things to you because I'm so angry. But don't forget that you've said some pretty hurtful things to me too, remember?"

Chrissie lowered her head in embarrassment and shame at Sian's pointed, fierce look. "Yeah, I know. No one's perfect, are they?"

Sian shook her head slowly. "No, they're not. But I want you to know that some of the things I said to you were because I wanted you to learn. It was only when you started arguing with me that I let my temper, and my words, run from the rational part of my brain so that I could barely control what I said."

Seeing that Chrissie was still avoiding her eye, Sian paused briefly, and then, in a desperate attempt to cheer her up, said, "And how can you say that I won't miss you? After all, who else am I going to get into a proper, stupid argument with?"

Chrissie raised her eyes slightly, not happy with Sian's choice of words. "I know it won't be the same when you're arguing with someone else and not me," she said glumly, "but is that really all you're going to miss me for?"

Sian stared at Chrissie, rather hurt by her words, which made her answer rather defensively, "OK, look, I know that we've argued on multiple occasions over the years, possibly more than any siblings in history have, but let's not forget that we haven't always been at each other's throats, for we have had some good times too, don't forget ..."

Sian remained silent as she gave Chrissie a chance to think about what she had just said, and after about a minute or so Chrissie raised her head, all traces of embarrassment and shame gone, now replaced with a happy smile, which made Sian's features soften as a smile graced her own lips.

"See, we're not all just jarring words and passive-aggressive looks at each other, are we?" Then her expression turned slightly more serious as she added, "And how can you not think that I'm proud of you, or that I've never been, nor ever will be, proud of you?"

Chrissie looked surprise that Sian knew this about her, but that quickly turned into a sneer. "Yeah, right," she snorted. "You're just saying that to make me feel better, for I know that I'll never be the person you want me to be, just like I know that you'll never think of me as someone you can be proud of."

Sian shook her head slightly, looking shocked that Chrissie could think so little of herself, which surprised me as I never thought that Sian would be concerned by Chrissie's lack of belief in herself, never mind that she would take her sister's ego bashing so seriously.

"Chrissie, you have no idea of what I think of you, for there have been times - not many, but a few - where I have been so very proud of you."

"Oh yeah? Name one!" Chrissie demanded.

"All right." Sian then paused, clearly thinking, then her eyes widened as she said, "Oh - I know. Do you remember in our first year of Dragon Mort when you, me, Chris and Kiara went down the trap door together to stop the Mirror of Wishes from being stolen?"

"Yeah, what about it?" said Chrissie, looking curiously at Sian.

"Well, when we got to that giant chess set, and you took your place as the knight and sacrificed yourself so that we could win the game … that was the first time I had ever been proud of you. Not just that, but it was also the first time I had ever thought of you as my sister."

"Really?"

Sian nodded. "Yes, really. And a couple of years ago, when you stood up to Larry, that was the proudest of you I have been in years. And now, watching you grow and change over these past few months, seeing you become your own person and leading you own life, no longer constantly being in mine and Kiara's shadows … I can honestly say that I am proud of the woman you have become. And I am proud to call you my sister."

Chrissie's eyes welled with tears by Sian's words, and I think all of us were touched by the simplistic beauty of Sian's words, and I smiled at Chrissie, who was smiling through her tears as she said, in a choked voice, "So … y-you really are g-going to miss me, then?"

"Of course I'm going to miss you!" exclaimed Sian exasperatedly, though tears were filling her own eyes. "Come here - "

The two sisters embraced, surprising us all to see Sian and Chrissie like this, but touching us all just the same, especially Mr Dawson, who never thought he would see this day come. Then again, none of us did, but I think it affected him more than the rest of us.

However, there was one of us who was not touched by this beautiful moment.

"Oh, great. Sobbing women," Chris grumbled.

Sian and Chrissie immediately let go of each other once they had heard this, turning on Chris, glaring and growling at him fiercely, startling the rest of us, especially Chris, who took a few steps backwards in response. I think this made Sian and Chrissie happy, for they turned back to each other, all the anger gone from their faces, as they resumed hugging each other like nothing had happened, crying once more.

I then looked at Chris, who was trembling slightly as he stood back beside me, wide-eyed and pale. Gulping loudly, he said shakily, "I'm not doing that again."

Smiling at him gently, I rubbed his arm reassuringly, just as Sian and Chrissie let go of each other, drying their eyes and smiling at each other, and they would have stayed like that all day if it had not been for their father, who was watching his two eldest daughters with pride.

"All right, kids," he said. "It's time to go."

Sian and Chrissie let go of each other, both knowing it was time to say goodbye, neither bothering to wipe the tears from their eyes as Chrissie went to get in the car with Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave. As they all got in, Kopa came to stand beside Sian, wrapping his arms around her as she leant into him.

Mr Dawson was the last to enter the car, nodding to Kopa, Sian, Chris and I, smiling proudly at us. Once he had shut the door did the engine start up and at the exact same moment I heard a strangled sob coming from my right, and I did not have to look at her to know that it was Sian, for I think it hit her, as it did Kopa, Chris and I, now more than ever, that this was really happening. That the rest of the Dawsons were actually leaving.

Kopa, Sian, Chris and I all started waving at the car, as we could see many hands waving back at us as the car started to drive away, and as it took to the air to do a number of circuits all around Pride Castle did Sian free herself from Kopa's embrace and run back inside, tears still streaming down her face as she ran, why and for what purpose I did not know, but knowing Sian she must have had a reason. She always does ...

 **SIAN**

As soon as Sian saw the car take to the air and begin circling Pride Castle, only one thought ran through her mind: she had to keep up with it before it disappeared from view. So she ran back inside Pride Castle, running as fast as she could to keep up with the car, even though she knew it was a ridiculous idea to try and keep up with a car, but at that moment she did not care. All she cared about was keeping up with the car as best she could before she lost sight of her family for the last time until God knows when. Besides, Sian was a fast runner; years of military training had given her that and fast reflexes. As she ran, Sian heard Kopa behind her, calling her name, but she did not dare stop, not even apologising to the people she pushed past or knocked things out of as she continued to jump, dodge and roll past people and objects as she tried to keep up with the car's shadow, ignoring the burning of her lungs and the pain in her legs and feet as she ran.

At last she reached the door to the roof, which crashed open as she ran through it and, dodging the statue of baby Kiara and her parents, she stopped as she reached the balcony wall, watching the car fly away from her just as a strong breeze blew past her, blowing the leaves and flower petals it carried with it towards the car, and shortly after the breeze reached it, Sian saw Chrissie poke her head out the window looking right at her, her eyes still filled with tears, as were Sian's, not that she cared about that at that moment in time.

Suddenly, Sian felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, and looking up she saw that it was Kopa, who had finally caught up with her, and seeing him Sian knew that she would be all right, as well as realising that she was not losing her family, for she had family in the man she loved as well as in the family who were leaving for England, and that made Sian smile.

Turning back to Chrissie, she raised her hand in farewell and waved at her twin sister, who leaned out of the car window and waved back at her, and as the car flew away from the Pride Lands and back to England, Sian knew that it was not the end for her family, but only the beginning.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: So, this is the penultimate chapter of not only this book, but the entire series. It's sad now to think that I've only got one more chapter to post and then this series will be over and done with, but don't worry, my writing won't stop, for I've been working on something new. Oh, and I hope you don't mind that I used a joke from _The Fresh Prince of Bel Air_ in the last chapter. For those of you who know the show, you know what I'm talking about; and those of you who have never seen it, look it up. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and I will have the epilogue up in the next couple of days. Happy reading everybody!**

 **Chapter 14**

 **Back at Dawson Manor**

 **CHRISSIE**

It was nearing midnight in England, and at Dawson Manor all was silent, apart from the occasional breeze that sang through the grounds, caressing the grass with its whisper. All was still within too, as every soul was sound asleep - except for one.

Christina Winifred Mary Dawson was currently sitting on her own in the smallest attic, doing nothing, just staring out of a window in the dark, but that did not bother her, as the light from the moon made her see everything in the room clearly enough, due to the ghostly silver light of the moon shining through the window, illuminating everything quite clearly. Once upon a time, being in a room like this would have scared Chrissie, but now she laughed at such a thought, knowing that there were far worse things in this world to be scared of.

Chrissie had not even tried to fall asleep yet, as her mind was far too active to even attempt such a thing, something that, Chrissie thought wryly, if voiced aloud, she knew Sian would scoff at and make some rather insulting comment about the fact that she was too dull-minded for her brain to be active, and that the reason she was wide awake was because she was thinking too much about food and Quidditch.

Chrissie rolled her eyes at thinking such a thing. But then, thinking seriously, she shouldn't be too hard on herself, for hadn't Sian's words to her earlier that day proven that her eldest sister thought of her as someone who was so much more than just a fumble-footed idiot? Chrissie smiled at the thought.

Her expression then became sad as she thought back to what had happened when she, her father, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave had all arrived back home, and from the moment they all entered the house, something felt rather … off about it, like the house was missing something - or rather, _someone_.

All throughout the day the Dawsons all tried to act normally, but nothing they did could quench the sadness of knowing that Sian would never again be living under Dawson Manor's roof again. It seemed silly to grieve for Sian, Chrissie reasoned, seeing as she was still alive, but seeing as she, her siblings and her father had no idea of when they would see Sian again due to hrt busy schedule, Chrissie supposed that they were all grieving the loss of Sian's presence within the Manor: it was odd not hearing her talking and laughing, or else barking orders at everyone, but stranger still was not hearing Sian and Chrissie argue with each other a fair few times a day. Chrissie smiled as she remembered Merida asking if she was OK with yelling at her in Sian's place at lunch, but Chrissie refused, saying it wouldn't be the same, which made everyone smile.

Lunch and dinner that day was spent in near total silence, with Mr Dawson trying to make forced conversation with his children, but no one seemed in the mood to talk much, due to Sian's absence from the dinner table, which was felt more than Chris or Kiara's. In the end, Mr Dawson gave up attempting to initiate a conversation with his children at dinner that night, and the rest of the meal passed by in silence, broken only by the scraping of cutlery on crockery, but every now and again someone would steal a furtive glance at Sian's empty chair before turning back to their plate. She did not know what her siblings thought of those meals, but to Chrissie they reminded her of the awkward meals they would share after their mother died, where no one spoke much due to Sian's emotional state, during which times she would say nothing, staring at her plate the entire time, fidgeting in her seat as she moved her food around, only eating the odd piece here and there. Of course Chrissie knew that the situation was different, seeing as how Sian was still alive, but it seemed that no one had told the house that. But Chrissie knew that it would get easier for she and her family to accept that Sian was no longer living with them with time, and that once that happened the family would all go back to acting like they normally would, however long that would be.

After dinner that night, Chrissie had no idea as to what the rest of her family did, for she decided to head up to the smaller attic to be on her own for a few hours, a place that meant a lot to Chrissie, as it was a room that only she, Sian, Kiara and Chris had spent most of their time in whilst at the Manor, and therefore it was a room that held a lot of memories for Chrissie. On her way there, though, she made a detour to Sian's old room, wanting to find a good book to lose herself in, which was very rare for Chrissie; rarer still was the fact that this was one of the only times that reading _Quidditch Through the Ages_ for the umpteenth time wasn't going to cheer her up, which was why she decided to see what Sian had to offer. Nothing educational, she wasn't that desperate! but something that would take her mind away from the troubles currently circulating around her brain and into a world that she could lose herself entirely in.

And so, looking on Sian's bookshelf, Chrissie was surprised and fascinated by just how much Muggle fiction her sister owned, which mostly had to do with knowing just how academic and studious Sian was. Looking around for an interesting title, Chrissie's eyes landed on _The Magician's Nephew_ , which intrigued her for a second, but then she thought against it with a grimace, thinking it was going to be about dumb Muggle magic (which she would regret saying in front of Sian, completely by accident, some months later). Scanning the shelves for something more interesting, Chrissie's eyes landed on _The Lord of the Rings_. _That'll have to do_ , Chrissie thought, shrugging, as she took the book off the shelf, headed out of Sian's old room, closed the door and made her way to the smallest attic.

Upon reading the story, Chrissie was easily sucked into the story, which she found very entertaining, and she was enjoying it so much that she did not hear Ben come into the room. It was only when he called her name did she notice him.

"Chrissie!"

Chrissie visibly jumped at his voice, her whole body jolting, as she spun around to face Ben, the book falling from her hands and on to the floor with a dull thud. Turning around and seeing that it was Ben, Chrissie put her hand over her heart, trying to make it calm down as she spoke.

"Bloody hell, Ben!" Chrissie exclaimed. "Don't you ever knock?"

Ben just shrugged and grinned an adorable, boyish grin that melted Chrissie's anger on the spot as her heart fluttered at his charming reaction.

"I know I could have knocked," said Ben, "but I didn't know if you were asleep or not. So I opened the door and saw that you were awake, studying something very hard, and I did raise my hand to knock, but I didn't want to disturb you. But then I thought," he added, with a sly smirk, "why should I deny myself the pleasure of seeing you startled when it's only you and me here?"

Hearing the arrogant smugness in Ben's voice made Chrissie's anger return at once, which was battling the fluttering in her heart that was all the love she had for him, accompanied by how charming she found him. For a while, Chrissie's head and heart fought each other, and eventually her heart won out. But she was not about to let Ben off the hook that easily.

"Well, if that's the best you can do to save me," said Chrissie, trying her best to sound haughty, "I'll scare you with the knowledge that you'll be spending a lot more time on your own if you ever try anything like that again.

Chrissie's avoided Ben's eye as she said this, and for a few seconds after she had finished speaking there was silence, during which Chrissie did not dare look at Ben, as she did not want to let him see that she had forgiven him so soon, for Chrissie knew that as soon as her eyes met his that she would lose her proud resolve and would probably run right into his arms, forgetting all about her anger towards him. Unfortunately, Chrissie's resolve began to break as she heard the attic door close and the sound of Ben's feet moving closer to her. Chrissie kept her eyes fixed on the floor as Ben stopped, standing right next to where she was sat, and still she refused to look at him. It was only when she felt Ben's fingers touch under her chin, her skin burning in the best possible way from the place where he had touched her, did Chrissie allow Ben to lift her face to meet his, and as soon as she looked into his beautiful brown eyes, Chrissie almost felt her resolve break then and there, for he was gazing at her with such a sad, sweet puppy dog look, that it took all of Chrissie's will not to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him with all the passion she could muster.

"You can't be mad at me forever, Chrissie," Ben said tenderly, the sad puppy dog look not leaving his features, "for I would not survive on my own for very long without you."

Ben then proceeded to kiss Chrissie, starting with her cheek and trailing his lips down her neck, and it was only then that Chrissie let her angry façade drop, for she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him as close to her as she possibly could.

Chrissie then felt Ben's breath tickling the skin on her neck and his body shaking with silent laughter. Withdrawing her arms from around his neck and pulling her face back, Chrissie saw Ben's eyes sparkling with mischief, as his lips twitched with suppressed laughter.

"You knew I was faking it!" Chrissie exclaimed, shocked at not only how easily Ben could read her, but also by how cool and collected he acted when he was trying to get her to forgive him.

Ben could not hold back his laughter any longer, for he threw his head back and let his laughter roar freely from his mouth like a burst dam. Chrissie thwacked his arm in annoyance, but soon even she could not remain annoyed with him for very long, and therefore laughed with him.

Once their laughter had subsided, and the rational side of Chrissie's brain was working again, Chrissie eyed Ben suspiciously as she asked him, "How did you know I was up here? After all, you've never been here before."

Ben smiled tenderly at Chrissie as he sat down beside her, took her hands in his own and said, "Well, I went looking for you not too long ago, wanting to see if you were all right after all that had happened today, and when I couldn't find you I decided to call Sian to see if she had any idea where you were, and she told me to look here for you. So here I am."

Chrissie smiled tenderly at Ben, kissing his cheek gently, as she silently thanked Sian for thinking about her welfare from so very far away.

Chrissie and Ben then sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes. Then, without any warning, Ben reached down and picked something from off the floor. Chrissie, seeing Ben moving and what he was moving to, suddenly remembered the book she had dropped when Ben had interrupted her. Chrissie then gasped loudly as she leaned forwards, trying to grab the book before he could, but Ben got there first.

Carefully, slowly, Ben picked the book up, turning it over in his hands, studying it closely as he sat up straight again. Then, turning back to Chrissie, he said incredulously, "Really, Chrissie? A _book_?"

Chrissie snatched the book back and, keeping her gaze focused on the cover, said defensively, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying a book occasionally, you know; it just depends what you're into. Besides," Chrissie added, sneaking a glance at Ben, "at least it's not a textbook."

"Sorry, Chrissie," Ben said quickly. "It's just that I've never seen you reading before, but I have to say that I will be surprised if I ever come across seeing you reading a textbook for enjoyment. Speaking of textbooks," Ben added, smirking slyly at Chrissie, "have you ever actually read one before?"

"Shut up!" said Chrissie, swatting his arm playfully. "Of course I've read a textbook before, Ben, I just haven't found much enjoyment in them. That's more of a Sian thing, anyway."

Ben nodded. "Yeah, she always did take studying a bit too seriously - "

"Unlike me," said Chrissie suddenly, her tone sombre. "I'm more interested in Quidditch than schoolwork - well, anything besides schoolwork, really. After all, I'm not bookish or smart like Sian." Chrissie sighed heavily. "No wonder Sian thinks I'm a screw up."

"Hey, Sian's words to you today prove that she thinks of you as more than that."

Chrissie turned her face to Ben. "And do you think I'm more than that?"

Ben's expression softened as he replied, "I've always thought that, Chrissie. Always."

Chrissie smiled at him, clearly relieved that he did not think of her as an idiot, as Ben turned his attention back to the book in Chrissie's lap.

"So … is it any good?"

Chrissie's eyes narrowed at Ben in confusion, wondering what on earth he was going on about. It was only when Ben's eyes darted to her lap that she remembered the book that was there. So, laughing and blushing at her stupidly, Chrissie answered, "Yeah, it's all right, I s'pose."

Chrissie then watched as Ben turned his face away from her, clearly absorbed in thought, judging from how his brow was furrowed and how his eyes were far away. Then Chrissie watched, amazed, as Ben blushed, for his cheeks were clearly tinged with pink, a sigh which Chrissie found very endearing. Wanting to know what was on his mind, Chrissie said, "Ben?"

At the sound of Chrissie's voice, Ben jumped, coming back to the present at once, blinking rapidly in confusion as he looked at Chrissie, the blush not leaving his cheeks as he remembered where he was and what he was thinking about. He then opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out, and seeing this, Chrissie took his hands in her own, smiling gently and nodding, silently encouraging him to tell her what was on his mind. So Ben then took a deep breath and blundered, "You know, Chrissie ... I - I was thinking - wondering, even - if ... at some point ... you would like to ... I mean, if you wanted to - "

"Ben!" Chrissie said loudly, cutting across him, and Ben stopped, looking surprised at Chrissie, for it was not like her to raise her voice. Hearing how loudly she had spoken, Chrissie said, in a far more gentler tone, "Just tell me what it is you want to ask me."

Ben nodded, then took a deep breath and said, "Well, I just wanted to kind it you wouldn't mind … reading to me sometime?"

Chrissie was quite surprised by Ben's request, but the more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her; besides, there was something rather intimate about the thought of her reading to Ben alone. So Chrissie nodded and said, "Sure. I'd love to."

A boyish grin lit up Ben's face at these words, which Chrissie found so adorably charming that she could not help but to smile back at him, for his smile was infectious to her.

After that, Ben and Chrissie got to talking, and laughing, about everything and nothing, and as they talked Chrissie was surprised by how easy she found it was talking to Ben, not as a brother, but as something more. At some point in their conversation, Ben had put his arm around her, and Chrissie, wanting to be even closer to him, unconsciously snuggled herself into his warmth. Then, realising what she had done and wondering if she had overstepped her boundaries, Chrissie looked up at Ben, but she need not have worried, for he just smiled at her. Seeing this, Chrissie visibly relaxed and the two of them carried on talking.

As she and Ben continued to talk, Chrissie thought about her relationship with her last boyfriend, Larry Brown. _Relationship_ , ha! Chrissie inwardly scoffed at the word when thinking about Larry, for it was a - well, Chrissie did not know what to call it, but it certainly was not a relationship: after all, how many relationships begin with a guy coming up to a girl and sticking his tongue down her throat? A doomed one, that's for sure! But relationship was the only word she could think of, so it would have to do, she supposed.

The more Chrissie thought about her time with Larry, the more she couldn't believe how stupid she was for going out with him in the first place, seeing as they did not really know a thing about each other, for they never properly talked when they were together, for their time was either spent laughing at whatever stupid thing the other had to say, or else spent trying to suck each other's face off. No wonder her siblings had not wanted to be anywhere near her in those days ... one in particular ...

Sian, of course, had disapproved of she and Larry ever since their first kiss, that she could tell, but she was surprised that Sian did not do anything to sabotage their relationship. At the time, Chrissie was confused as to why this was, and had spent many a night lying awake trying to figure it out, but now she could see that, as much as Sian did not approve of her and Larry being together, her sister cared too much about her happiness to stand in her way, despite how she felt towards them, and in that moment Chrissie felt her respect for Sian grow.

As time went on, however, Chrissie began to tire of Larry, beginning with that stupid necklace he bought her for Christmas a couple of years back (which she ended up burning as soon as she and her family had returned home after their mother's funeral), but she had no idea of how to break up with him for two reasons: she had no idea how to, and she was scared of hurting his feelings. Two stupid excuses, this Chrissie knew, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it, knowing how useless she was when confronted - with anyone besides Sian and the rest of her siblings, that is. And technically, it was thanks to Sian that she and Larry broke up.

The night she and Larry broke up was a memory that Chrissie often thought about, and not just because of the fact that she had finally plucked up the courage to tell Larry that it was finally over between them. But when she heard Larry insult Sian like that, that's what pushed Chrissie to speak her mind; for as much as Sian annoyed her, Chrissie did not want to lose Sian from her life, and it was important to Chrissie for the guy she was with to accept her family for who they were. Besides, only she could talk to Sian that way! And so, she and Larry were over, and that was what made her relationship with Ben so much easier.

When she and Ben had decided to start seeing each other not long after the war had finished, Chrissie had decided to take things slow with him, knowing from personal experience just how disastrous a relationship can start by just sticking her tongue down Ben's throat. Ben also agreed that they should take it slow, and so they spent time together going on plenty of dates, getting to know each other better, and the only intimacy they had shared up until that night was the holding of each other's hands, kisses on the cheek and tender caresses they gave to each other's cheeks. The snogging came later.

The fact that she and Ben had known each other for years made it a lot easier for Chrissie to date him. True, it was hard for her to accept that her feelings for Ben had grown stronger than she had ever thought they would, seeing as they had been living as brother and sister for many years, but once she had accepted that she no longer thought of or saw him as her brother, it made it so much easier for Chrissie to feel comfortable in Ben's presence, especially where their intimacy was concerned.

It was half-past eleven that night when Ben kissed Chrissie goodnight after a few hours of talking and laughing together. And now Chrissie was sat all alone, _The Lord of the Rings_ lying beside her on the couch, having lost all interest to continue reading it that night. Chrissie knew that it was late, and knew that she should be asleep as she had work to do the next morning, but her restless mind seemed to be against the idea of sleep at the present time.

Just then, Chrissie became aware of the sound of large, heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, and turning around just as the door opened, Chrissie found herself looking into the eyes of her father, who was smiling gently at her, a cup of something warm in his hands, the steam of which was swirling and coiling gently to the ceilings.

"I made you some hot chocolate, love," said Mr Dawson, holding up the mug.

Chrissie smiled at him. "Thanks, Dad," she said, taking the mug from him as he walked over to her, making sure to close the door behind him beforehand.

As Chrissie sipped gently on her hot chocolate so as not to burn her tongue, her father sat down next to her, and they sat in a comfortable silence. Then, after a couple of minutes, Mr Dawson was the first to break it.

"You know, you really should be in bed," he said, quite teasingly.

Chrissie rolled her eyes at her father's tone. "Oh, come on, Dad. It's not a school night."

"Maybe not," said Mr Dawson, sounding more serious now, "but I do know that you're starting work tomorrow, and it would not do well for you to be tired on your first day of work, and not just because of what Geri could possibly do to you if she catches you nodding off at any point during the day …"

"I know," Chrissie sighed. "And I will go to bed soon, I promise. But not just yet. My mind is just buzzing with the events of the day, you know?"

Mr Dawson sighed heavily. "I know. It's been an emotional day for us all."

Chrissie nodded. Then, looking at her father, with confusion burning in her eyes, she asked him, "How did you know I was up here, anyway? Did Ben tell you?"

"No, it wasn't Ben."

"Then who?"

"Your mother," said Mr Dawson simply.

Chrissie's eyes widened in surprise.

" _Ma_ told you - ? But I don't understand … I thought only Chris, Sian, Kiara and me were the only ones who knew about this place due to Ma."

"Chrissie, your mother may have kept many secrets from me - from all of us, really - but she never kept any rooms that our family live in secret from me. And as for how I knew you were up here, Chrissie, I kept an eye on you as soon as you left the table, knowing that you more than anyone would be finding it hard to deal with Sian's absence from this house. And when I saw that you had not gone to your room, I knew that you had come here."

Chrissie smiled at her father, having no idea that he cared so much about her. "Thanks for looking out for me, Dad."

"Anything for my children," said Mr Dawson fondly. Then it was his turn to look confused as he said, "Wait, Ben knows about this place now?"

Chrissie nodded.

"Who told him?"

"Sian did."

"Well that figures, doesn't it?"

Chrissie nodded again.

There was another brief pause. Then Mr Dawson said, "So … you and Ben were here before, were you?"

Wondering where this was going, Chrissie hesitated slightly before saying slowly, "Yes, we were."

"Together?"

"Yes, just the two of us."

 _"Alone?"_ said Mr Dawson, with a knowing smirk.

Now seeing where this was going, Chrissie said, glaring at her father, "We were just talking, Dad."

" _Just_ talking?" said Mr Dawson, the knowing smirk still in place, only wider.

Chrissie's eyes widened, mortified, as her cheeks burned a rather angry red.

 _"Dad!"_

Mr Dawson threw his head back, roaring with laughter at her expression, and for the first time in her entire life Chrissie understood both how and why he so easily annoyed Sian so much.

Seeing Chrissie's less-than amused expression made Mr Dawson sober up a little, though there was a twinkle of amusement in his eye as he said, "I'm only messing with you, love … though if the two of you were to get a little frisky with - "

"Urgh! Stop, stop!" Chrissie urged her father, clapping her hands over her ears, not sure how much more she could hear without vomiting after that. Mr Dawson just laughed again, and seeing this, Chrissie removed her hands from her ears and thwacked him on the arm, glaring at him all the while.

"You're not funny, Dad!" Chrissie told him, clearly unamused, which only made her father laugh all the more harder.

Once his laughter had fully subsided, Mr Dawson studied Chrissie closely as he asked her, in all seriousness, "How are you, love? Really?"

Chrissie smiled sadly. "OK, I guess. But I know that it will get easier to accept that Sian no longer lives here in time."

Chrissie then looked at her father as though she had never seen him before as she asked him, "Since when did you start being a parent to the rest of us, anyway?"

Mr Dawson looked as though Chrissie had visibly wounded him, and seeing this made Chrissie instantly regret her harsh words. Closing her eyes, Chrissie breathed deeply, then opened her eyes and said, "Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like - "

"No, no, it's all right, love," said Mr Dawson sadly. "I know I haven't been the best father to you and your other siblings over the years, but that's all changed now. And in answer to your question, Chrissie … I became a parent to the rest of you shortly after I almost saw Sian die …"

"Wow," Chrissie said, thinking of nothing else to say, for she had never imagined her father saying something so serious. Thinking of what her father had just said about Sian's near-death experience, Chrissie then thought about how everyone else in the Manor that day had been acting as though Sian had died, which, surprisingly, made Chrissie chuckle slightly.

Hearing this made Mr Dawson look at Chrissie, startled by her reaction. Realising how insensitive she had just sounded, Chrissie quickly said, "Sorry, Dad. It's just that ever since we came home, everyone's been talking and acting as though Sian is dead, even though she's not. That's why I laughed."

Mr Dawson nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean, love. But if you think about it, Sian _has_ died, in a matter of speaking."

Chrissie looked at her father, not at all understanding what he was saying. "What do you mean, Dad?"

"Well, the moment Sian decided to leave this house to start her new life with Kopa, that was the moment her childhood died. Do you understand now?"

"I think so," said Chrissie slowly.

"Good. But remember, though Sian may have moved on with her life, her spirit still remains in this house, for just as your mother put so much of her life into Dragon Mort, Sian put a lot of her life into this house, and it is important that we keep her memory and spirit alive."

Chrissie nodded. Then, looking confused again, she said, "It still sounds like she's dead, though."

Mr Dawson smiled. "I know, but Sian is, and always will be the heart of this family, no matter where she is in the world."

Chrissie smiled at her father's comforting words as she slurped her hot chocolate comfortingly. Then, turning back to her father, she said, "She knew what she was doing when she decided to leave here for good, didn't she, Dad?"

Mr Dawson nodded. "She knew that her time with us was over, and that she had to think about herself, for once in her life, in order for her to move on with it in order to start her new life."

"I guess it also helps that me, Beth, Kestrel, Merida, Joe, Jack, Max, Ben and Dave are no longer kids and that we can all look after ourselves, doesn't it?"

"It sure does, love," he said. "It sure does. And it helps her even more - and me for that matter - to know that all of us don't have to live in fear of dying too soon, so that we can live our lives the way we want to and be with whoever we want to be, like Sian and Kopa, Chris and Kiara, Dave and Merida, you and Ben …"

Chrissie blushed at her father's words. Then, narrowing her eyes playfully, she said, "And you and Kara, Dad?"

Mr Dawson widened his eyes as his cheeks became redder than usual, making Chrissie try to hide her giggles at seeing her father embarrassed, which he tried to hide, rather unsuccessfully, as he changed the subject.

"All right, if you're going to try to poke into my private life like that, though there really is nothing to suggest that I have feelings for - "

"Oh, come on, Dad!" Chrissie exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "It's obvious the way you look at her that you have feelings for her that extend far beyond friendship, so I don't understand why you don't do something about it. Besides, Ma would want you to move on and be happy, and I'm sure Sian wouldn't mind if the two of you were to start dating."

Mr Dawson nodded thoughtfully. Then he shook his head and said, "Still, it's too late to think about this now, so I'm off to bed. And you should think about going to bed soon, too."

Chrissie rolled her eyes again and said, "I will, Dad, so stop badgering me about it!" Then, calming down a little and smiling gently at her father, she said, "Thanks for the hot chocolate and the company, Dad."

"You're welcome, love." Mr Dawson then kissed Chrissie on the forehead and got up. "'Night, love."

"'Night, Dad."

Mr Dawson smiled at Chrissie, turned on his heel and left the smallest attic, closing the door behind him with a sharp snap.

Once he was gone, Chrissie released a small, peaceful sigh and went back to sipping her hot chocolate happily. As she drank, Chrissie raised her head, looking out the window at the stars as she thought about Sian and what she was doing, hoping that her sister was thinking of her, too. And as she thought about Sian, Chrissie couldn't help but smile wider at the thought of all that she would go on to achieve, much like Kiara. True, she, like the rest of the world, had no idea of what the future was going to hold, but one thing was certain ...

Whatever the future held, Chrissie knew, as did Sian, that it was sure to be good.

For all of them.

For all of the _world_ …


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: So this is it. The final chapter in my _Kiara Pride-Lander Series_ and, to me anyway, the end of an era. I can't remember when I first started writing this series, but I know I was still in school when I first wrote this, and I want to thank everyone who has favourited and followed either a few books in this series or all of them if you have. I am sorry that I haven't written all your names here, but you all know who you are and there are too many of you to mention. Also, thank you to the rest of you who have taken the time to read these chapters that I post, and to all of you who have come to read these books. I hope you have enjoyed reading them just as much as I have writing them. Also, I hope you enjoy my epilogue, which is quite different to the _Deathly Hallows_ epilogue, because I hated how little information there was in that, so therefore mine is longer. As I mentioned last chapter, I am currently working on a new fanfic, so if you want to know what that is, PM me and I will tell you about it. I want to write a few chapters before I post anything, but in a few months I should have it up. Anyway, enjoy the epilogue and, until you see my next piece of work up and running, happy reading everybody! and farewell for now. **

****Epi** logue:**

 **Nineteen Years Later**

 **KIARA**

Autumn was truly beautiful that year, with the morning of the first of September looking as crisp and golden as an apple, and as my husband, our three beautiful children and myself bobbed across the street towards the hidden entrance to the Sub House, I was glad to see that there were no cameras around, though I knew that would all change once we were inside the Sub House. But what I was happy about more was finally being able to escape Zazu and his incessant wittering's on about propriety and what was to be expected of us whilst we were in public, which I could tell annoyed Chris just as badly. After all, there were no laws against us hugging our children in public as far as I could tell.

Anyway, as the five of us strolled along, we wrapped our cloaks even tighter around ourselves, for despite the warmth of the day we were quite unaccustomed to the English weather, but it was harder for Chris and I to wrap our cloaks around ourselves as we were both pushing a trolley, each with a trunk and an owl on top of it. Both owls were hooting indignantly, as my tawny-haired son, who was clutching my arm tightly, once again began to moan.

"I want to go with them, Mummy! Why can't I go with them?"

"You'll be going soon enough, sweetheart," I told him patiently. "It's only two years, and then it'll be your turn, you'll see."

Simba groaned.

"But that feels like forever! Can't you do something to make me go, Mummy? Please?"

I looked down at my nine-year-old son, smiling gently at him.

"I'm afraid not, Simba. Despite all the power our family has, we don't have the ability to change this. And I know that it feels like forever until you'll get the chance to go to Dragon Mort, but I assure you it won't be that long."

"Sure feels like it," Simba grumbled.

I could not help but chuckle slightly at my son's impatience, for I was exactly the same when I found out about Dragon Mort, impatiently wanting to go there and not caring about anything else. I think that was why I felt such a connection to my son, despite the fact that he was my only son. True, he was more reserved than my other children, but he was just as curious and impatient as I was at his age, which only increased my fondness for him.

Hearing Simba grumbling like this, I turned to my husband and shared a smile. Time had been kind to Chris and I since the war, and he had not only grown more handsome in my eyes, even going so far as to grow a beard. Raising our children had its ups and downs, but we both found it rather rewarding to see our children grow, despite the challenges parenting brought us.

And speaking of challenges …

 _"You're gonna be in Snake-Eyes! You're gonna be in Snake-Eyes!"_ our eldest, Nala, sang annoyingly, making Chris and I share an annoyed eye roll, as she had continued the argument she started in the car, causing our middle child, Tiana, to retaliate, who became more and more upset by her older sister's teasing.

"I _won't_! I _won't_ be in Snake-Eyes!"

"Leave her alone, Nala!" said Chris, but Nala wouldn't listen.

 _"You're gonna be in Snake-Eyes! You're gonna be in - "_

 _"Nala!"_ Chris barked, immediately silencing Nala, who turned her head away, blushing slightly. But that did not stop her from turning to Tiana and flashing her a mischievous, cheeky smile, which Tiana glared at, clearly upset.

Chris and I turned to each other, shaking our heads exasperatedly, for we knew what Nala was like: from the moment she had been born she always had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, which only meant that she was always in some sort of trouble. Naturally, the whole of Pride Castle knew that Nala had a reputation of being the castle's troublemaker, but she was more commonly known as "the Little Madam" (try to guess who gave her that nickname).

Tiana was a lot more quiet than her other siblings, and as she was the middle child, this meant that she was, naturally, more sensitive than the other two, which of course made her an easy target for Nala to pick on. To be honest, I found it quite hard to connect with Tiana at times, but Chris was often there to support me and help me with her. I did not mind that Tiana had a special relationship with her father, for Chris knew how to handle her better than I did, but I was always there for her whenever she needed me.

As we approached the barrier to the Sub House, Nala took her trolley from Chris, shot Tiana a cocky grin and walked over the grate and slid through it into the water slide to the Sub House, Chris and Simba directly following.

Tiana and I stood in silence for a few moments, having no idea of what to say to each other. Looking at my daughter, I saw that she looked lost and scared at what was going to happen, and it was in that moment that I sympathised with her, for how many times in my life had I felt both those emotions?

Wanting to give her some reassurance, I touched her gently on the shoulder. Tiana jumped at my touch and looked up at me with even more fear than before. Smiling at her gently so as to convince her that there was nothing to fear, I gripped the trolley tightly in my other hand as I asked her tenderly, "Together?"

Tiana smiled tentatively at me, nodded and repeated, "Together."

My smile widened as Tiana took hold of the trolley with me, and together my daughter and I ran over the grate, passing directly underground into the waterslide that would take us to the Sub House. Looking down, I saw Tiana's knuckles whiten as we passed through the grate, making me wrap an arm securely around her, silently letting her know that she was safe.

As we gracefully slipped through the wall into the Sub House, I heard Tiana gasp loudly in amazement beside me. I chuckled at her response, not that I could blame her, for the Sub House was always a sight to behold: a large, domed room, decorated with aqua tiles that had been painted magically to make it look like the waves were really moving. On the opposite side of the room, a ramp led the way up to where eight large, ovular submarines stood next to ramps where the students would all soon board, and each submarine was held by a large claw-like hand, that was operated by a mechanical pulley system that would lead each of the subs to the ocean, where each submarine would be dropped individually, officially meaning the start of the journey to Dragon Mort.

We stood there for a moment, looking for the rest of our family. Tiana was the first to spot Chris, Nala and Simba, who were stood by the ramp, waving at us. Tiana hurried off to them, leaving me with her trolley, and as I pushed it along in her wake, I couldn't help but smile, for if she was this amazed at seeing the Sub House, I could only imagine how she was going to react once she had seen Dragon Mort.

Coming closer to where my family stood, I began to look around in confusion, for I was beginning to wonder where all the cameras were. Don't get me wrong, my dear readers, I was glad that they were not there, but I was rather surprised by their absence. I tried to cover up my confusion as best I could for my family, but apparently it did not work, for Chris, who, I often forgot, could read me too well.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, so low that only I could hear him, so as not to worry our children.

"Nothing, I'm fine," I whispered back. "It's only … don't you find it rather odd that there are no cameras flashing anywhere?"

At this, Chris looked around curiously, and seeing that I was right, he looked as confused as I as he said, "That is rather odd. Why aren't all the photographers here? And where do you think they all are, anyway?"

"I don't know. But we'll find out soon enough, I'm sure."

"Where are they?" asked Tiana anxiously, bringing Chris and I back to our surroundings: she was watching the crowd, as were Nala and Simba, the three of them trying to spot a few familiar faces in the crowd, but so father there were none. "They said they'd be here by now!"

"I'm with Whiney over here," said Nala, using her favourite nickname for her sister. "We would have seen them as soon as they came in."

 _"Stop calling me that!"_ Tiana grumbled, glaring at her sister. Nala just smirked at her.

"They'll be here soon enough," I said loudly, so as to avoid another argument kicking off between them. "Don't worry. And try to have some patience, won't you?"

I then shot a stern glare at Nala, who looked away, blushing again. Shaking my head at her, I let my gaze soften as I focused on the crowd once more, searching for the four people, and their children, I longed to see.

Studying the crowd, I could see a few of the Dawson siblings with their children, such as Beth and her husband, Ryder, and Dave and Merida, all of whom appeared to have their hands full. I also kept my eyes on the wall where newcomers were still coming in, amongst them Perdy with her husband, Steven, who was listening to her with rapt attention as she talked rather loudly about house-elf cruelty, and so engrossed in her conversation was she that she did not notice me, for which I was grateful.

"I see them! I see them!" Simba yelled excitedly, pointing to the crowd.

Chris, Nala, Tiana and I looked to where Simba was pointing, and we saw seven figures part the crowd as they made their way towards us, like Moses parting the Red Sea: Sian and Kopa, with five of their children, Susan, Elyon, Tristan, Casper and Taranee.

Sian and Kopa had not aged a day in nineteen years, and despite her body going through nine pregnancies, Sian still looked good for her age, which I believe had to do with the fact that she still kept up a tough training regime, not to mention the fact that she still helped Global Justice with some of their toughest missions. Of course, life had not always been plain sailing for them, for you can imagine how many assassination and abduction attempts had been tried on Sian ever since she revealed to the world that she was Athena Amethyst Phoenixclaw, but Sian, _being_ Sian, easily held her own against all her enemies. But the majority of people loved Sian, for she, just like Kopa, Chris, Kion and myself, was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed her help. And as for Sian and Kopa together, they were well loved by the majority of our people, all of whom looked up to and respected them for their leadership, their courage and their wisdom.

Approaching us, Kopa eyed me mischievously, as he asked me slyly, "So, I see you've survived Zazu's lectures, then?"

"Barely," I said, rolling my eyes, as I hugged my nieces and nephews, all of whom had run to me the moment they saw me.

Kopa laughed at my answer, then smiled tenderly at his children, as did Sian.

As you can imagine from this interaction, my dear readers, we were a very close knit family, which, I suppose, had to do with the fact that we all lived under the same roof as each other. Each of my nieces and nephews had some aspect of their parents in their features: Taranee had Sian's eyes, long wavy hair and Kopa's strong chin' Casper had sandy shaggy hair and his father's eyes; Tristan greatly resembled his father but had Sian's eyes; and Elyon had long, wavy, tawny-coloured hair and Sian's face, jaw line and mouth.

But more than any of her children, it was her firstborn, Susan, that resembled Sian the most, just as Sian highly resembled Crighton. Susan resembled Sian so much, in fact, that if you saw her you would never know that she was also Kopa's daughter, apart from the tawny tints she had in her hair.

I should just say here that just because Susan looked a lot like Sian does not mean that she showed her any favouritism. No, Sian loved all her children equally and paid them all equal attention, as well as making sure that they all got a decent childhood. And, of course, Sian also made sure that her children all learned simple reading, writing and mathematics, something that both she and Kopa helped their children with personally, as they felt it was their responsibility to teach their children these simple skills so that they could be ready to use them by the time they went to Dragon Mort.

Seeing that there were four other children of my brother's who were missing, I looked up at him and asked, "I thought you and Sian were bringing Ashanti, Oscar, Mufasa and Laila with you? What happened?"

"We didn't want Muggles questioning how eleven people could fit in the car if they saw us," Kopa explained, "so we decided to leave them back home with Grandmother Sarafina watching them. They're not happy about it, but they understand."

I smiled at my brother, understanding his reasoning. Then I became confused again as I asked him, "Where are the photographers for the wizarding papers anyway, Kopa? I would have thought that they'd be here by now."

Kopa smiled and said, "I told them to stay away from here today. Besides, we got enough attention from the press once we left Pride Castle."

Now it was my turn to smile at Kopa.

"Thank you, Kopa."

"You're welcome, Kiara."

My brother and I shared a look of understanding, which was shortly broken by my son.

"I wish Uncle Kion were here," said Simba sadly.

"Me, too," said Tiana. "I wish he were here to see us off."

"I know you do, my darlings," said Kopa, "but you know that he is busy with the Lion Guard."

"Your Uncle Kopa's right," I said. "But you know he sends you love. Besides, I know your Uncle Bunga's keeping him on his toes."

Kopa, Sian, Chris, Nala, Tiana, Simba, Susan, Elyon, Tristan, Casper, Taranee and I all shared a laugh at that, as mine and Kopa's eyes met and a solemn look of understanding passed between us.

Raising our younger brother together had not been easy for Kopa and I, but it had been rather helpful for us in terms of learning about how to be good parents, with Sian and Grandmother Sarafina lending a hand and giving us some useful tips every now and then of what to do and how to raise him.

Just then, a rather loud commotion by the entrance hall made us all jump and, spinning around, we saw what had caused it: Chrissie had just tripped over one of her children's trolleys, sending the luggage flying everywhere, and in Ben's hands a wicker basket that had flown through the air with the luggage was hissing loudly.

"Fumble Feet's arrived," Sian commented dryly, as Chrissie got to her feet, her face beet red, as she and Ben took out their wands and magically rearranged the luggage back on to the trolley, placing the wicker basket on last, before they and their four children made their way over to us.

Just like the rest of us, Ben and Chrissie had not changed much in nineteen years. The only difference was that Chrissie had taken a rather big step as far as her appearance went, now she had accepted that she was no longer living in Sian's shadow - and it was not that she had put on a lot of weight! You see, my dear readers, Chrissie had made the decision to cut her long hair, so that its waves now came to just under her shoulders. She was also the only one of the Dawson siblings to dye her hair, which was now, permanently, magenta. Naturally, this came as a shock to us all when we saw it for the first time, but once we had all gotten over the initial shock of the colour change, we actually thought it looked good. Even Sian liked it, having nothing bad at all to say about Chrissie's new 'do.

When they got close to us, Kopa, Sian, Chris and I hugged Ben and Chrissie, and then their four children: Crystal, Chucky and the twins, Monica and Violet. Crystal would be starting her second year at Dragon Mort this year, Chucky his first, and Monica and Violet would be starting two years later.

"You parked all right, then, I see?" I asked Chrissie.

"Yeah, I did. Ben didn't think I could pass a Muggle driving test, though, did you? He thought I'd have to Confund the instructor."

"No, I didn't," said Ben. "I had faith that you could pass without the use of magic."

"As did I," said Sian, "though how your feet didn't get confused and fumble about with the pedals due to nerves is a miracle in my eyes."

Nala cheekily giggled at Sian's insulting comment, as Chrissie's eyes, face and shoulders dropped, and a rough, sad sigh escaped her lips.

"You know Sian's only messing with you, right?" I said, trying to reassure her.

"Yeah, I know," said Chrissie, "but it doesn't change the fact that her words still hurt, though!"

Chrissie's voice raised towards the end as she glared at Sian, who just shrugged off her sister's words, completely unaffected.

"I am who I am, sister. Nothing you can do or say will ever change that."

Chrissie growled at Sian's words. Knowing from personal experience that an argument between Sian and Chrissie could last hours, I decided to step in and change the subject before things could escalate further between them.

"So, Chrissie," I said, loud enough so that only she could hear me, " _did_ you Confund your instructor?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Chrissie whispered back. "I forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Suspensory Charm for that."

"Well at least you made it here in one piece, Aunt Chrissie," said Nala, smiling innocently at her.

Chrissie looked surprised by my daughter's kind words, but smiled nonetheless.

"Thank you, Nala," I said.

 _Wait for it_ , I kept thinking, knowing that Nala's cheeky mouth was going to open up and insult her. _Just wait for it_ …

And sure enough -

"Although, I am surprised that your feet didn't crash the car and fly off your body in a spectacular fashion, like what happens whenever you trip up at the castle, but at least you didn't fail."

Chrissie's jaw dropped at Nala's words, her eyes widening at her unadulterated cheek; Sian was stifling her laughter at the look on her sister's face, as were Chris, Kopa, Simba, Susan, Elyon, Tristan, Casper, Taranee, Crystal, Chucky, Monica and Violet. I, however, just rolled my eyes, not at all surprised by what Nala had just said. Tiana didn't react at all, still absorbed in her worries about Dragon Mort.

Having got the reaction she wanted from Chrissie, Nala, looking rather pleased with herself, merrily skip marched off, quickly getting absorbed by the crowd, clearly going to find her friends.

"Make sure you say goodbye to us before you leave!" Chris called after her.

But Nala was already gone.

"I swear she's been hanging around with _somebody a little too much_ ," said Sian, glaring at Chrissie pointedly.

Spinning around to face her sister, Chrissie's shock disappeared as she crossed her arms defensively and said, "Well, what about you?"

Sian looked confused.

"What about me?"

"Oh, come on, Sian! You don't seriously think she got her insulting tongue from me, do you?"

Sian's confusion dissolved as she realised the truth in Chrissie's words, but that did not stop her from retaliating.

"All right, I'll give you that one, but where did she get her cheeky tongue from?"

"What are you talking about, Sian? You're quite cheeky."

"Not as much as you, though," Sian shot back.

Having reached a clear impasse, the two sisters stared each other down. Leaning closer to me, Chris whispered in my ear, "It's amazing, isn't it, that no matter how many things have changed in the past nineteen years, that there are some things that have remained exactly the same?"

I nodded in agreement, understanding what he meant, for though Sian and Chrissie got along better now than they had done when they were growing up, it did not mean that they did not still get into the odd heated argument with each other, or wind each other up in some way.

My ears were then drawn to a conversation that Simba, Monica and Violet were having about which house they would be Sorted into once they were in Dragon Mort.

"… would like to be in Lion-Heart, but I suppose Raven-Wings wouldn't be too bad," said Violet.

"I hope I get into Lion-Heart, though," said Simba.

"So do I," said Monica.

"I hope so, too," said Chrissie, "because if none of you end up in Lion-Heart, we'll disown you, but no pressure."

 _"Chrissie!"_

"That's nice," said Ben, glaring at his wife.

Simba, Monica and Violet all laughed, but Tiana, Casper, Taranee and Chucky all looked solemn.

Susan was quick to reassure them.

"Don't worry," Sian's firstborn said, glaring at her aunt, "Aunt Chrissie's just messing with you. You know how much she likes to joke."

"Really?" asked Tiana uncertainly.

"Absolutely. You have nothing to fear no matter what house you're in."

"Susan's right," said Sian, smiling proudly at her eldest child, who beamed with delight at her mother's praise. "We'll be proud of you no matter what house you're Sorted into, because you'll be great no matter where you end up, and we'll love you all just the same."

"Really?" asked Tiana doubtfully.

Wanting to reassure her, I touched her shoulder and waited for her to look up at me, and when she did I saw that her eyes were wide with fear. So I smiled at her gently and said, "Really."

Tiana did not look altogether reassured by my answer, as there was still a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, but she was slightly calmer by what I had told her, so that was something.

"Don't listen to Chrissie, kids," said Kopa, glaring at his sister-in-law. "You know how she likes to joke."

"See, Chrissie? This is exactly what I meant when I said that Nala has been hanging around with you a little too much, as well as what I said about her inheriting her cheekiness from you! See what I was - Chrissie, are you listening to me? _Chrissie?_ "

But Chrissie was not listening to Sian, as her attention was fully focused on a point some fifty yards away. Curious to know what she was looking at, I followed Chrissie's eyeline and saw three people clearly standing a little apart from the main crowd.

"Well, well, well, look who it is!"

Danielle Malty was standing there with her husband and daughter, a dark coat buttoned up to her throat. Her hair was tied up neatly on top of her head in a neat bun. The new girl resembled Danielle as much as Tiana resembled me. Danielle caught sight of Kopa, Sian, Chrissie, Ben, Chris and I staring at her, nodded curtly and turned away again.

"So that's little Keziah," said Chrissie under her breath. "Crystal, Chucky, try your best to beat her in every test you possibly can, and I pray to God that you have your Aunt Sian's brains."

"For God's sake, Chrissie," said Ben, rolling his eyes. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"Well said, Ben," said Sian, smiling approvingly at him. Then, turning back to Chrissie, her eyes narrowed in disapproval of her sister's thinking, she added, "You should know better by now, Chrissie, to know that it is not wise to judge someone based on first appearances as well as a person's background. Besides, you should at least give your children the chance to talk to Keziah themselves in order for them to form their own opinions of her, which will lead them to decide whether or not they wish to be friends with her - something we should _all_ do, in fact."

"Yeah, you're right, sorry," said Chrissie, but unable to help herself, she added, "don't get too friendly with her, though, Chucky. Pop-Pop would never forgive himself if you married a pure-blood."

(Just so you know, Pop-Pop is what Mr Dawson asked to be called by his grandchildren.)

"Hey!"

Nala had reappeared, her face flushed, her eyes wide and sparkling with mischievous excitement, as her chest rose and fell rapidly. Clearly she was bursting with news.

"Tim's back there," she said breathlessly, pointing back over her shoulder at the large crowd. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? _Snogging Gloire!_ "

Kopa, Sian, Chris, Chrissie, Ben and I all just looked at Nala, nonplussed by what she had just told us. Nala gazed back at us, clearly disappointed by our lack of reaction.

" _Our_ Tim! _Tim Meers!_ Snogging our _Gloire_! _Our_ cousin! And I asked Tim what he was doing - "

"You interrupted them?" said Chris. "You are _so_ like Chrissie - "

"Well of course she is!" snapped Sian. "I told you she'd been spending too much time around her for her own good!"

" - and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's _snogging_ her!" Nala added, as though worried she had not made herself clear.

"Oh, wouldn't it be great if they got married?" whispered Simba enthusiastically. "Tim would _really_ be part of the family then!"

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," I said. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" said Nala enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Tia - Tim could have my room!"

"No," I said firmly, "you and Tia will share a room only when I want the castle demolished."

Just then, the warning voice sounded, a cool, female voice, just like the one in the Ministry of Magic, which said, "This is your five minute warning before the submarines set off for Dragon Mort. Children, say your farewells now and be sure to take all your belongings with you. Thank you."

After the cool, female voice had spoken, there was the sound of clamorous, panicked noise as children said goodbye to their parents, and parents were shouting last-minute reminders to their children as the rumbling of trolley wheels and footsteps began to fill the air.

"Come here, Trouble," said Chris, hugging Nala. "Don't forget to give Nikita our love, will you?"

"Dad! I can't give a Professor _love_!"

"But you _know_ Nikita - "

Nala rolled her eyes.

"Outside, yeah, but at school she's Professor Bore, isn't she? I can't just walk into Herbology and give her _love_ …"

Shaking her head at Chris' foolishness, she vented her feelings by shoving Tiana, who stumbled into me.

"See you later, Tia. Watch out for the Thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible! _You said they were invisible!_ "

But Nala merely laughed, permitted Chris to kiss her, gave me a fleeting hug and a swift kiss on the cheek, then grabbed her trunk and quickly headed up the ramp. At the top she turned back to us, gave us a wave, then hurried off to find her friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," I told Tiana. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be getting there by the portal."

Chris kissed Tiana goodbye.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Dad. You will write to me, won't you?"

"Every day, if you want us to," said Chris.

"Not every day," said Tiana quickly. "Nala says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

Chris and I shared a look at hearing this, and we shook our heads, knowing that when we wrote to our firstborn we would be having some rather stern words with her.

"Don't worry, we won't take that long to send you a reply," Chris quickly reassured her, "though we did write to Nala three times a week last year. Would you like us to do the same with you, Tia?"

Tiana though about it for a moment, then shook her head and said, "No. Once a week will be just fine."

"All right, love," Chris smiled, kissing Tiana's temple and giving her a last brief hug. Letting her go, Tiana turned to me, and kneeling in front of her, I decided to give her some last-minute pieces of advice before she boarded the Subs.

"Now remember, Tia, Mina's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Weeves. Don't duel anyone until - actually, don't duel anyone, full stop. And try not to take Nala too seriously, for she likes a laugh and only winds you up in order to get a reaction out of you. So try not to let your sister wind you up."

"What if I'm in Snake-Eyes?"

The whisper was for me alone, and I knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Tiana to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.

Looking into my daughter's face, that was slightly above my own, I noted, yet again with a brief flicker of pain, that Tiana had inherited my father's eyes and mouth - the only child of mine to have inherited these traits, in fact.

"Tiana Suzannah," I said quietly, so that nobody but Chris could hear, and he was tactful enough to be preoccupied in hugging and kissing our nieces and nephews who would be going to Dragon Mort goodbye, "you were named for two headmistresses of Dragon Mort. One of them was a Snake-Eyes, and she was probably the bravest woman I ever knew."

(And yes, I do know that Suzannah is not Crighton's first name; but I had to leave Susan to Sian, and I felt that it did not go too well with Tiana, anyway. Besides, Tiana knows this already, so don't judge me.)

"But _just_ say - "

" - then Snake-Eyes house will have gained an excellent student, won't it. It doesn't matter to us, Tia. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Lion-Heart over Snake-Eyes. The Sorting-Heads'll take your choice into account."

"Really?"

"They did for me," I said.

I had never told any of my children that before, and I saw the wonder in Tiana's face when I said it. But now the crowd of children heading up the ramp was thinning as the submarines started to fill up. Tiana took her trunk and quickly hurried up the ramp to where Susan stood waiting for her. Students both on the Subs and off seemed to be turned towards me.

"Why are they all _staring_?" demanded Tiana, as she, Casper, Taranee and Chucky craned round to look at the other students.

"You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure!" I yelled, catching Chris' eye and sharing a smile.

"Find out what?" Tiana shouted.

"About me!" said Chrissie. "I'm extremely famous!"

Tiana, Simba, Susan, Elyon, Tristan, Casper, Taranee, Crystal, Chucky, Monica and Violet laughed as they and all the other students boarded the Subs. As the doors closed and the Subs began to move, I watched my daughter's face, already ablaze with excitement, slowly glided away from me. I kept smiling, and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching my daughter glide away from me ...

The Subs stopped at the end of the tracks for a moment, then, one by one, they dropped into the ocean. My hand was still raised in farewell.

"She'll be all right," murmured Chris.

As I looked at him, I lowered my hand absentmindedly and touched the flame scar on my forehead.

"I know she will."

Looking at Chris, I felt the other parents, Kopa, Ben and Simba all fade away from me, for in that moment all I could see were my husband, Sian and Chrissie, and it still surprised me sometimes that the four of us were as strongly united today as we were nineteen years ago when the war ended, but I wouldn't want it any other way. True, life had not been easy for us, for there were always new difficulties and challenges to face, but I knew that the four of us would face them together, like we always had, and I knew that everything would be all right, even though I wasn't for a long time; and though I would never be entirely whole as I was when my parents and Grandmother Sarabi had been alive, I would always treasure the memories I had made with them.

Looking at Chris, Sian and Chrissie now, I was suddenly reminded, yet again, by how lucky and blessed I was with these things: the family I had now, the fact that my scar had not pained me for nineteen years, and the fact that all was well and right with the world. As it should be.

And that, my dear readers, finally brings us to the end of my story, which means that this is no longer _farewell_ , but rather …

 _Goodbye!_


End file.
